30 April 2024
- Domestic Violence NSW does not oppose a Royal Commission, but not before critical, immediate sector funding is secured
- Read DVNSW’s full position statement
In response to recent calls for a Royal Commission into domestic and family violence in NSW, Domestic Violence NSW (DVNSW) says immediate and substantial funding must be secured to address the crisis of gendered violence against women and children in the June 2024-25 NSW Budget, before it’s diverted to any potential prolonged inquiry.
Delia Donovan, DVNSW CEO, says the emphasis must remain on keeping the NSW government accountable to immediate action to support the over-stretched, under-resourced sector. Failure to invest in this will continue to impact victim-survivors and children at an alarming rate.
“The NSW government has already made commitments to address domestic and family violence through numerous plans and strategies. We’re asking them to fully fund these existing recommendations before conducting a large-scale inquiry such as a Royal Commission. With the amount of extensive research and expert insights already in existence, combined with the findings of the Victorian Royal Commission into domestic and family violence, we already know what needs to be done – in fact we’ve been calling for it for 50 years,” Ms Donovan said.
The Victorian Royal Commission has led to significant, long-term structural reform and while this level of reform is also needed in NSW, Ms Donovan said the sector would need to be assured of the bipartisan commitment of the NSW Government to fully implement the recommendations of a Royal Commission, before supporting it.
A comparison of budgets shows that NSW invested almost $200 million less compared to Victoria in the 2022-23 financial year ($417.2 million compared to $613 million). A Royal Commission in NSW could mean a two-year wait before we see increased government investment.
“If it is a choice between diverting limited funding to a Royal Commission or an immediate injection of urgently needed money into the domestic and family violence (DFV) sector– as representatives of over 180 specialist DFV services, we need immediate funding to address the critical shortages and gaps,” Ms Donovan said.
On behalf of the specialist domestic and family violence sector in NSW, DVNSW has called on the NSW Government to:
- Immediately increase funding for existing domestic and family violence services by $145 million to meet current demand and an additional $80 million to expand specialist services to respond directly to women, children and young people impacted by domestic and family violence, so nobody seeking assistance ever needs to be turned away.
- Immediately provide $100 million to stop the violence before it starts by releasing, funding and implementing the NSW Strategy for the Prevention of Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence 2024-2027 ($40 million in the next 12 months, and $20 million per annum in years two, three and four).
- Immediately build 7,500 new social and affordable homes in NSW each year for 20 years to provide safe and affordable homes for women and children escaping domestic and family violence and an additional 750 transitional homes to provide exit pathways out of crisis refuges for women, children and young people who have experienced domestic and family violence.
- Undertake a comprehensive review of court decisions, including guidelines, bench books, legislation, and cultural understandings of domestic violence and risk factors, to ensure victim safety is consistently prioritised over perpetrator freedom in all parts of NSW.
- Undertake a comprehensive review of court bail and sentencing decisions in matters where women have been killed.
- Explore Domestic Violence Electronic Monitoring for bail, not just custodial release, as well as other potential surveillance measures
“We don’t oppose a Royal Commission but not before we’ve secured the immediate funding that the domestic and family violence sector, women, children and young people need to be safe from violence,” Ms Donovan said.
Further recommendations and interim measures can be read in DVNSW’s full position statement here.