The $702m plan to help tackle rise in domestic violence

Women and children will gain more support to flee domestic violence under a $702 million plan to be put to national cabinet on Friday after a federal review warned frontline services could not cope with the growing calls for help.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will outline plans for more services to support the victim-survivors of sexual and family violence to be jointly funded by federal, state and territory governments.

Premiers and chief ministers sent a warning to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Monday about the pressure on their budgets when they were already spending about $7 billion over four years to stop family and sexual violence.Credit: Trevor Collens

A separate deal is likely to guarantee federal funding for legal services under a $3.4 billion partnership agreement for the next five years, including money for legal aid and services for Indigenous Australians.

The proposals have eased days of tension after the premiers and chief ministers sent a warning to Albanese on Monday about the pressure on their budgets when they were already spending about $7 billion over four years to stop family and sexual violence.

The prime minister’s office responded late on Wednesday with a new funding package that commits $351 million from federal coffers, assuming that the states and territories would match this with another $351 million.

Finance Minister and Minister for Women Katy Gallagher signalled the help on Thursday morning by promising a “very substantial package” at national cabinet, adding that she wanted to avoid “argy-bargy” with states and territories.

The details were disclosed to this masthead by sources who asked not to be named because they were not authorised to pass on the information, and they cautioned the outcome was subject to state and territory agreement.

The new proposals include funding for sexual violence services, support for children and young Australians who have witnessed or experienced violence, and funding for programs that work with men to change their behaviour.

The money will flow from July 1 next year and continue for five years so it can support more frontline services, as well as existing services that would otherwise shut down because their funding is due to end.

The state and territories’ calls for more spending were set out in a confidential letter from South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas on their behalf, sent to Albanese on Monday to set the terms for the meeting in Canberra.

The state and territories’ calls for more spending were set out in a confidential letter from South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas on their behalf.Credit: James Brickwood

The letter, obtained by this masthead, acknowledged the federal request for more state spending but said the Commonwealth should also contribute more money under a five-year agreement.

“We would welcome Commonwealth funding because it would mean more people would have access to these – in many cases – stretched frontline services,” Malinauskas wrote.

“A renewed commitment to frontline services is needed now to ensure service continuity and staff retention.”

Malinauskas sent the letter as chair of the Council for the Australian Federation, the group set up by state and territory leaders to agree on their common cause before meetings with the prime minister.

Premiers and chief ministers met in Canberra at 5pm on Thursday to discuss their position on the $702 million federal proposal, before dinner with Albanese.

The federal government unveiled $925 million in the May federal budget to expand the “leaving violence program”, which gives women who need urgent financial help access to up to $1500 in cash and up to $3500 in goods and services.

But experts have warned that essential services need more funding, while Albanese signalled earlier this year that he wanted the states to do more on emergency support services, bail laws, the justice system and online safety.

Pushing back at the idea the states were not doing enough, Malinauskas used his letter to highlight $4.5 billion in support for victim-survivors, $451 million to change behaviour among perpetrators, $223 million for Indigenous communities and $242 million for prevention.

The funding pressure was made clear in the findings of a “rapid review” set up earlier this year, with panel members including feminist Anne Summers and author Jess Hill.

The review, issued on August 23, said the increase in attacks on women and children, with two women being killed every week, had become a national emergency.

Summers said the report set out 21 recommendations with clear guidance about federal and state responsibilities.

“I hope the national cabinet will adopt all 21 of the recommendations,” she said on Thursday.

The review warned of escalating demand for beds in refuges for women and children fleeing violence, to the point where many had to be placed in motels. The average motel stay was 14 days, it said, and about 200 women and children had to be accommodated in this way every night.

“The path ahead does not just involve tinkering at the edges but instead requires a surge of activity and investment around people, responses and systems,” the review said.

Support is available from the National Sexual Assault, Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service at 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732) or the Men’s Referral Service on 1300 766 491.

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