Two more ‘Not Now, Not Ever’ recommendations delivered

The Palaszczuk Government has today announced the completion of two more recommendations of the landmark “Not Now, Not Ever” report with the delivery of a long-term funding and investment model to help prevent domestic and family violence, support victims and help perpetrators change their behaviour.

Minister for the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence Di Farmer said the new model would help determine where investments into the domestic and family violence service system should go.

“This is in direct response to Recommendations 72 and 73 of the Not Now, Not Ever report and supports our Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Strategy,” she said.

“We have now completed 100 of the 121 recommendations for government, two years ahead of schedule.

“This new funding model will also work to address specific service delivery issues in rural and remote communities and fill any gaps in services.”

Ms Farmer said in 2016 the Queensland Government engaged KPMG to undertake an audit of the state’s domestic and family violence services, providing a clear map of the funding that was being invested and any gaps that needed to be filled.

“What this report found was that in 2014-15 approximately $104.8 million, from both state and commonwealth governments, was provided to 122 discrete service providers across Queensland supporting those affected by domestic and family violence,” she said.

“Most of the services and funding was directed towards post-crisis support with roughly 74 per cent of investment directed to legal services and homelessness services.

“The report found the future investments should seek to balance the need for increased resourcing in early intervention and prevention, without compromising crisis responses that keep victims and their families safe.”

Ms Farmer said based on the findings of this report and further work undertaken by the Department of Child Safety, Youth and Women to map investment in domestic and family violence responses, a Funding and Investment Model was developed.

“This model is a long-term, whole-of-government approach to investing in domestic and family violence support services,” she said.

“It’s about shaping existing and new investment for specialist services aimed at prevention, early intervention, crisis response and recovery supports.

“There is a focus on rural, remote and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities across the state.

“Domestic and family violence affects every community and we need to make sure funding focuses on those most at risk.”

Ms Farmer said the between 2015-16 and 2017-18, the Queensland Government invested more than $350 million into fighting domestic violence.

“Since 2015, we have invested in bringing domestic and family violence out from behind closed doors, and we have seen some positive changes," she said.

“There is always more to be done, and we will continue working to end domestic and family violence in Queensland.”

ENDS

Media contact: Cat Milton 0447 117 132