Polley, Sen Helen

Senator POLLEY (Tasmania) (21:58): In July this year, the Family Violence Counselling and Support Services North Adult took industrial action with concerns about the lack of budget allocation to their services in relation to resourcing and staffing their family violence counselling and support services statewide, and the subsequent impacts on the service delivery capacity and the impact on staff wellbeing. The core work of the family violence counselling and support adult program is to provide counselling information and support to some of Tasmania's most vulnerable people. The program provides a vital first response to victims of family violence after police reports, self-referrals and consult referrals concerning family violence. These staff are dedicated professionals who provide a specialised support service. The provision of services by family violence counselling and support services are unique in the continuum of services to family violence victims. It is often the first point of contact for those who have a police response and for those engaging with services for the first time. It is essential that they have the capacity to meet and to provide a high level of services. Family violence is often committed by a person against their spouse, partner or ex-partner. Family violence can include physical abuse; verbal abuse; emotional abuse; sexual assault; threats of violence that may include stalking, coercion and intimidation; financial abuse; contravening a family violence order or an interim family violence order; and assaulting a pregnant woman. The work of the Family Violence Counselling and Support Service may involve informing, counselling and support; providing information and support to family and friends; arranging for assistance from the police; providing assistance in finding a safe place to stay; assisting in accessing limited financial support; making referrals to Legal Aid and/or court support; acting as an advocate in assisting with Housing Tasmania and Centrelink; liaising with the government and non-government sectors on behalf of their clients; and participating in weekly case and coordination meetings with other Safe at Home providers. Currently, the services of the Family Violence Counselling and Support Service provide a statewide extended-hours service from 4 pm to midnight seven days per week. This extended-hours service provides intense support in the crucial initial period following a family violence incident when other services are not available. The support provided to victims through this service includes such things as counselling, information and support. It can provide victims with the knowledge and confidence they need to report incidents of family violence. This timely support is crucial to promote help seeking and engagement for victims. Research shows that a timely response to victims post-incident is the most effective intervention. In Tasmania no other service support is available to victims. The Family Violence Counselling and Support Service provide an intensive support service to victims of family violence. We know that family violence has a devastating impact on the health and wellbeing of victims. In Tasmania there's been a significant increase in reported rates of family violence since the inception of the Family Violence Counselling and Support Service in 2005. In the year between 2005 and 2006, there were 2,417 referrals to the adult program. In 2018 there were 6,126 referrals made. This equates to a 200 per cent increase in overall referrals to adult programs statewide. However, despite the increase in demand, the staffing profile has seen a reduction in full-time staff. In 2017-18, the budget of $200,000 per year for two years was committed to meet the additional demands to the Family Violence Counselling and Support Service. The staff were advised that $110,000 would be used to fund a shortfall in the service, which then left only $90,000. There is not much that can be done with $90,000, I can tell you, and as a result the services have had to be cut. A decision around the allocation of money was made with no discussion with staff, which created disappointment in staff as they know that they will be left with the fallout of more work in less time, which puts their own health at risk. And we know what the burnout rate is for these positions. From the added $200,000 there's been no additional staff for the extended-hours service, which plays a pivotal role for those people requiring support and services when leaving a violent situation. Concerns have been raised by staff around their reliance on the one-worker model and how it creates a significant health and safety risk to them being able to perform their role. A risk assessment was completed, and, as a result, staff would have different roles and would not have face-to-face contact with clients but would be doing all their contact over the phone. This change has given staff of the Family Violence Counselling and Support Service concern as it would mean increased workloads and a less personal experience when dealing with vulnerable people leaving an abusive and violent situation. Staff also feel there will be a significant risk impacting on client outcomes and a reduction in the service available to victims and families of domestic violence. The Community and Public Sector Union, on behalf of their members, have highlighted that to the Hodgman Liberal government and have made commitments to eliminate family violence, to protect the most vulnerable and to keep all Tasmanians safe and free from violence. However, a recent internal service audit has identified that increasing demands for Safe at Home services are compromising the assistance response capacity, and current service delivery is not sustainable under the current resourcing arrangements. In Tasmania, the Hodgman Liberal government keeps saying that eliminating family violence is a top priority. Mr Hodgman, the Premier, has even appointed himself as Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence. His first act in his new portfolio was to announce his government's three-year action plan on family and sexual violence. The problem with the Hodgman Liberal government's plan is that they have not provided any extra funding for family violence counselling and support services. The Liberal government have no care for the daily stress of staff working as counsellors and the stories that they hear each and every day. There is a human element. These workers at the forefront are at risk of post-traumatic stress disorder, having to go home each night feeling that they have let people down, as they cannot do as much as they would like to do. In order to make the Family Violence Counselling and Support Service work, a commitment is needed from this Liberal government to put a plan into action and to demonstrate it is seriously listening to staff who know what working with limited resources really feels like—staff that go to work each and every day and give 110 per cent in helping to eliminate domestic violence, and to back up and support those people fleeing domestic violence. While this is a matter relating directly to Tasmania, domestic violence is not something that is isolated to our area. In Australia, one in three women and one in five men have experienced at least one incident of domestic violence from a current or former partner since the age of 15. We all know the statistics; there're really very alarming. But what we need is more action from the Liberal government in my home state and from this federal Liberal government to ensure that there is adequate resourcing to eliminate the risk of family violence and to ensure that there are people who are going to be able to give that face-to-face service that those fleeing domestic violence so desperately need. We have very dedicated, professional people that are giving the best of themselves, but the governments needs to ensure there is adequate resourcing available for them. It is one thing to give lip-service; it is another to ensure that there are adequate resources available. We know that in 2010 the federal government, in partnership with the states and territories, developed a 12-year national plan to reduce domestic violence, but it is not clear if any of those strategies are actually working. The national plan's vision is an Australia free from all forms of violence and abuse against women and children. We're nearly at the end of that 12-year plan, yet the number of people being referred to services for help with family violence has only increased. Unless we have appropriate action, unless we do more than just give lip-service to reducing domestic violence, the number of people, women and children predominantly, that are leaving very violent situations will only increase, and those people at the forefront who give them the support they so desperately need will get burnt out, and they are so badly underresourced— (Time expired)