$15.7m of new funding for family, domestic, and sexual violence services in Tasmania

Frontline services working at the coalface to combat family, domestic, and sexual violence will receive a lifeline after the state and federal governments announced a much-needed funding top-up.

Family violence services in Tasmania will receive a crucial long-term funding guarantee. Picture: istock

Frontline services working at the coalface to combat family, domestic, and sexual violence will receive a long-term funding guarantee as the state and federal governments confirm they have renewed a crucial five-year agreement.

The new National Partnership Agreement on Family, Domestic and Sexual Violence Responses (FDSV partnership) will commence from July 1 this year, replacing an existing agreement that is set to end on June 30.

The renewal is set to benefit women and children who are victim-survivors and includes support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, the LGBTQIA+ community, culturally and linguistically diverse Australians, regional, rural and remote communities, and people with a disability.

Hon Amanda Rishworth MP at Parliament House in Canberra. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

The new agreement will help state and territory governments better direct funding to services in order to meet local needs.

The federal and Tasmanian governments are together contributing a total of $15.7m to the renewed partnership, with the funding to flow to key family, domestic, and sexual violence programs and support services across the state.

Across the country, the partnership will deliver a total of $700m in new investment to frontline services.

Since 2022, Tasmania has received a total of $23.4m in federal funding under the agreement.

Federal Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth said governments of all persuasions were working together and “taking significant strides to make Australia safe for all women and children”.

“The renewed national partnership provides longer term funding guarantees for Tasmanian family, domestic, and sexual violence services, resulting in victim-survivors receiving ongoing access to supports needed to build a life free from violence,” she said.

“Added assistance on the frontlines of the fight against family, domestic and sexual violence will not only improve lives, but save them.”

Tasmanian Minister for Women and the Prevention of Family Violence, Jo Palmer, said the new funding was a vital step towards helping victim-survivors across the state.

Minister for Women and the Prevention of Family Violence, Jo Palmer. Picture: Stephanie Dalton

“We are committed to working side-by-side with the Australian government to end family, domestic, and sexual violence in Tasmania and to ensure our state gets the support it needs over the coming years,” she said.

“All Tasmanians should not only feel safe in their communities and their homes, they should be safe, and this additional investment will help ensure essential services and programs can be delivered across the state.”

The FDSV partnership will also support services designed to help men and perpetrators of family, domestic, and sexual violence, or those who are at risk of perpetrating violence, change their behaviour.

If you or someone you know is experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, domestic, family, or sexual violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732, text 0458 737 732 or go to 1800respect.org.au for online chat and video call services.