I am happy to report that the government is fulfilling a key commitment I took to the election regarding funding for family and domestic violence (FDV) crisis support services.

Last Friday, the Auditor-General released the findings of his performance audit of the Safer Families Levy. The report is damning, showing a lack of transparency in the use of the Levy funds, which have been raised to tackle FDV in our community, and a failure to administer the funds strategically.

The Levy, currently at $50 per household and due to increase to $70 by 2027-28, was introduced in 2016 and has raised $46 million. The report found that: “although total funding has increased, prevention and recovery services have not been prioritised and their funding proportion has not significantly changed since 2016-17.”

In the months leading up to the election, I heard from frontline FDV service providers that they were chronically underfunded and struggling to provide desperately needed services. None had seen a significant uptick in their funding since the introduction of the levy, notwithstanding growing demand. Organisations told me they’d been left with no choice but to triage people asking for help, meaning they have had to turn away women who feel unsafe in their own homes. That’s just not good enough.

I made a commitment during my campaign to ensure all future funds raised through the Levy go to frontline service providers; to the people with boots on the ground who are the first port of call when a member of our community is experiencing violence in their own home. 

So, although it’s long overdue, I was very happy to see the new Minister for the Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence, Dr Marisa Paterson, announce yesterday that the ACT Government will do exactly that. With the Levy set to raise another $50 million over the next four years, this will make a real difference. 

I'm meeting with the Minister tomorrow to discuss her plans for tackling the FDV crisis and to raise other key commitments I took to the election, including criminalising coercive control and investing in more dedicated housing for women and children escaping violence.