New Roma women’s shelter one step closer as tender opens

The new Roma women’s shelter is one step closer to fruition with the opening of a tender for a suite of domestic and family violence services in South West Queensland.

It includes $560,000 per annum for the proposed Roma-based women’s shelter, and will create 13 jobs in Roma and the far west.

While visiting Roma, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the funding further reaffirmed the government’s commitment to tackling domestic and family violence.

“We know that having a safe place to go can make a huge difference for women and children fleeing domestic and family violence,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

“This is particularly the case in regional communities, where families may have less safe options than would be the case in metropolitan areas.”

Minister for the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence Shannon Fentiman said the more than $2 million tender would provide vital domestic and family violence services for Roma and Far West districts in Queensland.

“This tender includes a request for a specialist homelessness domestic and family violence service to help women escaping domestic and family violence with their children in Roma,” she said.

“Once in place, this specialist service will be run from the new shelter.

“While the shelter will be based in Roma, it will also support women and children from surrounding communities including Maranoa, Balonne, Quilpie and Bulloo regional council areas.

“While the shelter is under way, a mobile outreach support service will be available to help women and children affected by domestic and family violence.”

In addition to the shelter, Ms Fentiman said the tender process would seek to identify innovative and sustainable approaches to the delivery of other domestic and family violence services including, counselling for victims and children, court support and responses to people using violence as well as sexual assault services.

“Tackling domestic and family violence is one of the Queensland Government’s highest priorities, and that is why we are continuing to provide vital new services across the state, in particular to regional areas of Queensland,” she said.

The tender includes new funding provided as part of the $198.2 million over five years announced to help implement the recommendations from the Not Now, Not Ever report of the Special Taskforce on Domestic and Family Violence.

Tenders close on 6 February, 2017. For information visit www.qld.gov.au/qtenders

For more information on the government’s actions to tackle domestic and family violence in Queensland go to www.qld.gov.au/notnownotever

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