Family violence roles axed in public service purge

A quarter of jobs will be axed at the organisation leading the Victorian government’s family violence reforms, prompting fears the cuts will jeopardise progress made since the 2016 royal commission and impact victims of abuse.

The purge of 77 roles at Family Safety Victoria — 25 per cent of the workforce set up to implement the royal commission’s recommendations — has alarmed staff who say violence against women remains stubbornly high.

Violence against women remains stubbornly high.Credit: Shutterstock

Eighty-three people were killed in family violence homicides in the past five years in Victoria, according to the Crime Statistics Agency. Family violence incidents increased by 2.5 per cent in the past 12 months, with 93,091 acts committed across the state — equivalent to 255 a day.

The Victorian government says there will be no reduction to frontline roles in family violence support services or at the Orange Door hubs, which were established after the royal commission to link victims with specialist support.

“We’re continuing to implement all 227 recommendations from the Royal Commission into Family Violence,” said a Department of Families, Fairness and Housing spokesperson.

But family violence experts say the staff of Family Safety Victoria provide critical training and support, administration, policy advice, program development, research and data analysis to the family violence sector.

“The staff of Family Safety Victoria, who have led family violence reform in Victoria, are crucial to the effectiveness of those reforms,” said Dr Rachael Burgin, the chief executive of Rape & Sexual Assault Research & Advocacy and a senior lecturer in criminology at Swinburne University.

“These cuts will directly undermine family violence reforms in Victoria, and put women and children at risk.”

In January, the Victorian government announced it had implemented all 277 recommendations of the royal commission and invested more than $3.7 billion to prevent and respond to family violence — more than every other state and territory combined.

Key recommendations included specialist family violence courts, rolling out the Orange Door network, access to safe housing, and the establishment of Respect Victoria, an organisation dedicated to the prevention of family violence.

Kelly Zhang, killer Joon Seong Tan and the search.Credit: Fairfax Media

While experts say the largest family violence reform process in Australia’s history has made a big difference, rates of violence against women remain high.

In recent years in Victoria, nurse Caitlin O’Brien was murdered by her partner; mother Ju “Kelly” Zhang was murdered after a one-month relationship; Chen Cheng was stabbed to death by her husband; mother of three Samantha Fraser was murdered by her estranged husband; and Michelle Darragh was killed by her former partner.

And Victorians fleeing domestic violence who are supposed to be given priority access to long-term public housing are waiting more than 20 months for a place to live as average wait times continue to blow out.

Safe Steps, a 24-hour family violence crisis response centre, said the Family Safety Victoria teams were dedicated to getting the best outcomes for people experiencing family and domestic violence.

“Of course we are concerned about any staff cuts,” said chief executive Dr Chelsea Tobin.

“Organisations like Safe Steps do rely on the expertise of policy staff at Family Safety Victoria, and as such we would really like to see their continued support by government.”

No to Violence chief executive Phillip Ripper said Family Safety Victoria was leading the Victorian government’s 10-year strategy to end family violence.

“Any reduction in investment jeopardises the progress we have made since 2016,” Ripper said.

“To realise the promise of the royal commission’s reforms we need to keep up the momentum, not let it dwindle.”

Nicole Lee, who was a member of Victoria’s first Victim Survivors’ Advisory Council from 2016-2019, said Family Safety Victoria required long-term funding and it was concerning to hear of budget cuts.

“It’s debatable that all the royal commission recommendations have been ticked off — evaluating how they are working on the ground is a big piece of work to be done,” she said.

Family violence campaigner Phil Cleary, whose sister Vicki was murdered in 1987, said the job cuts sent a shocking message to women and campaigners that family violence was being relegated as an area of priority.

The mass redundancies are part of the Andrews government’s plan to cut up to 4000 jobs across the public service to reduce ballooning net debt linked to interest rates and COVID-19 spending.

“Like all departments, the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing is working to achieve the savings announced in the Victorian Budget 2023/24, while ensuring we continue to deliver the government’s core priorities,” a spokesperson said.

But staff at Family Safety Victoria say they have been disproportionately targeted, making up 20 per cent of the 400 job cuts from the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing.

The Community and Public Sector Union said it was a fallacy to suggest the staff cuts would not impact on frontline services and the Orange Door network.

“How can it not have an impact?” said CPSU organiser Magda Akkerman.

“If you look into the amount of deaths and violence we have against women and children in our society right now, how can you possibly think that you can justify removing 77 roles that address that?”

Opposition spokesperson for the prevention of family violence Cindy McLeish said the cuts would impact on programs such as Orange Door, which she said were still being bedded down in many areas with support services stretched too far.

“There are already too many blockages preventing speedy access to emergency accommodation, with victims waiting many months or even years,” McLeish said.

“Preventative work is being left by the wayside and I fear that this will completely drop off the radar.”

For help in an emergency, call 000.

Safe Steps: 1800 015 188

No to Violence Men’s Referral Service: 1300 766 491

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