Urgent call for DV services funding from record $8billion State Budget surplus after case increase of 20pc

Opposition Leader Mia Davies has called on the McGowan Government to urgently invest in domestic violence support services across WA, saying there was “no excuse” not to address the issue given the expected $8 billion surplus at the upcoming State Budget.

Preliminary offers from the government show support for domestic violence services will be kept at the current funding level for the next five year, despite increased demand.

Domestic violence cases have increased by 20 per cent over the past two years, forcing support groups to adapt their victim-support services, all the while crying out for funding as their staff, servicing abilities and refuge capacities are stretched to their limits.

Victims of family violence are also often left with hefty ambulance bills of about $1000 from each physical assault requiring urgent medical care, further compounding the cycle of violence through added financial abuse.

The South Western Times reported last week services in WA’s South West were stretched to capacity.

New WA laws on “suffocation and strangulation” and “persistent family violence” that came into effect in October 2020 are perhaps adding to the number of prosecutions headed to the courtroom, but doing little to relieve the increased pressure on support services.

South West Women’s Refuge chief executive officer Ally White said the refuge’s financial counsellor spends the bulk of her time liaising with debt collectors calling to recover ambulance fees.

Ambulance bills are a first-and-final notice, a bill often not received by domestic violence victims because they had fled their home.

“Some women ask their neighbours not to call an ambulance because they know it will cost them,” Ms White said.

Funding for the refuge’s financial counsellor runs out in June.

Ms Davies is calling on the WA Government to use some of the anticipated $8 billion surplus at next month’s state budget to fund family violence support services

“There is no excuse not to invest in support for victims of domestic violence across the state,” Ms Davies said.

“All Western Australians should have the right to feel safe, particularly in their own home and we believe that State Government is in a position to do more.”

She believes the surplus figure puts the WA Government in a position to “immediately address the ambulance fees of domestic violence victims.

“I urge the McGowan Labor Government to use some of the massive budget surplus to ensure no woman is faced with additional debt as a result of domestic violence,” Ms Davies said.

Shadow Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence Minister Libby Mettam said it was essential the WA Government local refuge services are sustainable to ensure victims received the help and protection they needed.

“Both police and family violence community support services have reported at least a 20 per cent increase in the number of cases,” Ms Mettam said.

The Safe at Home Program needed urgent funding, according to Ms Mettam, to meet the growing demand at the South West Refuge.

“The latest funding offer from the government intends to keep services at the level funded by the previous government for the next five years,” Ms Mettam said.

“Whilst the program funding has increased to employ more workers, brokerage funding has had no increase since levels funded by the previous government, and again is set for the next five years.”

When contacted for comment, the Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence Minister’s office sent a response from a WA Government spokesperson, who said the McGowan government had made domestic violence a priority.

“We’ve allocated a record $126 million in new funding for FDV services since coming into government,” the spokesperson said.

“In contrast to the previous Liberal-National government we have delivered significant law reform, invested record amounts to support victims and raised awareness of FDV through the successful 16 Days in WA campaign.

“We have also committed to a $4.2 million boost to the Safe at Home program over five years.”

The spokesperson said the WA Government was working on a range of initiatives to support victims, as well as healthy-relationship education programs aimed at stopping violence before it starts.

They had also established WA’s first family and domestic violence hub, built two new refuges for women and children and had a third on the way, according to the spokesperson.

EXCLUSIVE: Mother-of-three hopes her escape from domestic violence can help others.