Crisafulli Government ensures doors remain open for women’s crisis support centres

• Crisafulli Government dedicates funding in State Budget to ensure support centres for vulnerable women continue operations in Darling Downs.
• Protea Place and WillowTree 37 to continue to assist women in need, including those at risk of homelessness and fleeing abusive environments.
• Funding helps meet demand for support across the region. 

The Crisafulli Government will commit funding in the upcoming State Budget for critical services in the Darling Downs to ensure vulnerable women and children receive the support they need. 

The Crisafulli Government will provide $2.544 million over the next four years to Protea Place Women’s Support Centre in Toowoomba, a crucial service that provides advocacy and referrals for women experiencing or recovering from domestic and family violence, as well as those at risk of homelessness, or struggling with mental health and other health issues. 

The Crisafulli Government will also provide more than $1 million over four years to WillowTree 37, which provides critical, urgent and ongoing assistance to vulnerable women to assist in meeting immediate needs and support access to services in both Warwick and surrounding communities. 

Treasurer and Member for Toowoomba South David Janetzki said Protea Place provided critical support, dignity and safety to Toowoomba women in need.

“It can’t be overstated how important this centre is to the wider Toowoomba community, providing clothing, meals and helping find accommodation for women who in many cases have nowhere else to go,” Mr Janetzki said.

“Our community has been left devastated by recent incidents of domestic violence and the Crisafulli Government is firmly focused on supporting and addressing the issue because every Queenslander deserves to live their life without fear and abuse.”

Reported incidents of domestic violence across the State have risen by almost 220 per cent in the past decade under the former Labor Government, resulting in police officers responding to an incident every three minutes.

Minister for the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence Amanda Camm said it was crucial services on the frontline in our communities, like Protea Place and WillowTree 37, had the necessary funding to support vulnerable Queenslanders.