Fair Agenda

Policies to keep women and children safe and housed

Some investment provided or promised in this area, but unclear how much of this money will flow through to specialist family violence organisations. Concerns about the move to locate family violence responses within generalist Services Connect networks. Safe at Home programs remain tenuously tied to funding under the National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness which is due to expire in June 2015. 

Policies to make the justice system safe and supportive

Some steps in the right direction, but overall, the promised investments are either too small, or cover only part of the state. There was minimal investment in this area during most of the Coalition’s time in government. A commitment to comprehensive training in understanding and responding to family violence for all professionals in the justice system is required.

Policies to hold violent perpetrators to account

Some preliminary steps and understanding of the need for better information-sharing, but lacking a coherent vision or plan about how to strengthen perpetrator accountability across the justice, child protection and community services sectors. Current strategy relies predominantly on picking out a few initiatives to implement, rather than a more comprehensive approach. Unclear how the Services Connect model will maintain and strengthen connections between human services and the justice system for the purposes of perpetrator accountability.

Policies to break down the system silos that endanger women and children

The establishment of a Ministerial Council for the Prevention of Violence against Women and Children led by the Premier is welcome, however the lack of sufficiently detailed family violence policies hinders the Coalition in this area. Funding of the Risk Assessment Management Panels is an important initiative to break down silos at the high-risk response end. No commitment to move the Office of Women’s Policy to a central agency where it can more effectively drive whole of government change.

Policies to prevent violence against women and children

This is the Coalition’s strongest area in terms of policy and funding commitments. Continued Victoria’s leading role nation-wide in prevention through helping to establish Our Watch. While some important areas remain unclear, recent announcements suggest a fairly comprehensive approach towards prevention. 

Policies to keep women and children safe and housed

The ALP’s immediate commitment towards addressing the substantial current shortfall in the capacity of services to meet demand is positive but still insufficient in many areas given the pressure of demand on services responding to family violence. It will be important that the Royal Commission investigates the areas covered by the No More Deaths alliance asks in considerable detail. However, there is no interim family violence plan or policy to provide guidance in the 14 months or so before a Royal Commission hands down its recommendations.

Policies to make the justice system safe and supportive

Some useful initiatives promised in the short-term, as an interim measure prior to more detailed consideration through the proposed Royal Commission, with some significant unknowns, given the lack of an interim family violence plan or policy. Further clarity is required around the interim measures, particularly the number of Family Violence Court Divisions proposed and where these divisions will be located. Increased funding to CLCs including restoring cut federal funds to many family violence legal services, and full funding of the Victorian Systemic Review into Family Violence Deaths, are significant positives. 

Policies to hold violent perpetrators to account

The ALP’s commitment to extend the number of courts that can mandate men to attend a men’s behaviour change program is welcome. However, the lack of policy information on this and other areas relevant to perpetrator accountability makes it difficult to provide a score. Perpetrator accountability is likely to be investigated in detail through the proposed Royal Commission. A Royal Commission should also provide opportunities to map points of intervention; review the work of VicPol family violence units; and overhaul the way child protection and family violence services work together. Overall the lack of detail regarding the scope of the proposed Royal Commission is reflected in the scores.

Policies to break down the system silos that endanger women and children

Some strong commitments have been made in this area, towards ensuring that family violence is embedded as a major, whole-of-government priority. The ALP’s approach to promoting a shared understanding of family violence across community and government sectors, and  best practice through timely data collection and evaluation, is however unclear. 

Policies to prevent violence against women and children

While the ALP has specified that the proposed Royal Commission will cover the primary prevention of men’s violence against women, no interim policy or funding commitments has been offered in this area. It is unclear which recent Coalition policy announcements in primary prevention would be honoured by an incoming ALP government. 

Policies to keep women and children safe and housed

Strong commitment towards funding specialist family violence organisations for the safety of women and children, backed up by a family violence policy. Significant emphasis on consulting these specialist organisations for further policy development. Unclear, however, about the specific dollar amount of new investment that will be provided in this area. 

Policies to make the justice system safe and supportive

Strong commitment guided by a plan that acknowledges the importance of strengthening justice system responses, and making the system more accessible and safe for women and children. Further development is required for some initiatives, particularly in terms of how to stretch limited resources towards statewide implementation. 

Policies to hold violent perpetrators to account

Coherent and well-defined vision regarding perpetrator accountability and how this is central to all aspects of service system responses to family violence. Clear understanding of the central role of both community sector services and statutory authorities in working together to map opportunities to plug gaps and holes in responding to men who use family violence.

Policies to break down the system silos that endanger women and children

Lack of clarity about how a whole-of-government commitment to addressing family violence would unfold at the highest levels. As in other areas a strong emphasis on consultative processes to progress policy and best practice implementation, however more detailed content understanding is required. Greater emphasis needs to be placed on training to promote shared understandings amongst community and government sector agencies and workers.

Policies to prevent violence against women and children

Generally a solid commitment made to primary prevention. A more finely tuned and nuanced understanding of the current and former government’s work in developing and strengthening primary prevention approaches towards family violence is required, however. 

Policies to keep women and children safe and housed

Strong commitment to and recognition of the expertise of specialist family violence organisations. Detail is lacking however, in terms of how this commitment would specifically unfold in terms of new investments and dollar amounts. Not a strong understanding of how integrated family violence service systems work. 

Policies to make the justice system safe and supportive

Commitment made to address each of the asks in this area. However, particularly small parties which have not been involved in the machinations of government have little experience to draw upon to ground these commitments through implementation. 

Policies to hold violent perpetrators to account

Commitment made to address most of the asks in this area. However, a lack of understanding and knowledge is apparent regarding the workings of the family violence service system. Policy development is required to obtain a better understanding of the potential opportunities and challenges regarding perpetrator accountability.

Policies to break down the system silos that endanger women and children

Commitment made to address most of the asks in this area, but as above, the party needs to invest more time into understanding the nuances of integrated family violence service systems and coordinated community responses.

Policies to prevent violence against women and children

Strong commitment to prevention, but detailed policy documentation is required that outlines how the party intends to build upon the work conducted in this area over the past ten years.