NSW Government announces $300m budget funding package to tackle domestic violence

Updated

The NSW Government has announced a $300 million budget package for victims of domestic violence, which in a national first will include the roll out of tracking devices for offenders.

More than $50 million is expected to be allocated to specialised advice and care for women who are in a high risk category.

The new funding package was announced by NSW Treasurer Gladys Berejiklian and Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Pru Goward in Sydney today.

The funding will be rolled out through the Safer Pathways program which ensures high-risk victims receive a consistent and integrated multi-agency response.

The program is now operating in six sites, with 19 new sites set to come online by 2017.

The government will also provide $2.9 million over four years for domestic violence perpetrators will also be fitted with a GPS tracking device - as part of a plan to reduce the risk of contact with victims.

Ms Goward said the tracking devices would send a very clear message to offenders, that if they breach a domestic violence order, they will be caught.

NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Mick Fuller, who was also at the announcement, said the tracking devices would be an Australian first and they were about stopping perpetrators before their next crime.

He said the magistrates would determine which offenders were fitted with tracking devices, giving victims more protection.

"The criteria will first be a criminal charge that's linked to domestic and family violence ... and certainly their history will be an important part of accessing which perpetrator should wear the bracelet," Assistant Commissioner Fuller said.

"We need to protect the next victim, who is a potential homicide."

Domestic violence about 'eroding self confidence'

NSW woman of the year and domestic violence survivor Jen Armstrong said she would have felt safer if her former partner had been fitted with a tracking device.

"It would have made me feel safer to know I didn't have to worry about the location of my former partner," Ms Armstrong said.

"I would have had the police taking care of that, I could focus on getting better and protecting my children."

She said her partner was convicted after kicking her in the stomach when she was pregnant.

"Domestic violence is not about being punched in the face it's about power and control and the erosion of self confidence."

Funding 'has saved lives'

Women's Domestic Violence and Court Advocacy Program director Renata Field said the funding injection was vital.

Ms Field said the Pathways program had already had fantastic results in the six areas where it had already been operating.

"We've managed to save people's lives in those areas.

"Providing immediate housing ... secure permanent housing within a few days of an incident, which is unknown of before this."

The budget will also include a $20 million Domestic and Family Violence Innovation Fund for prevention, early intervention and crisis responses that support the efforts of our specialist domestic and family violence services and refuges.

Ms Berejiklian said today's announcement amounted to the Government doubling its funding of domestic violence programs.

"Domestic and family violence represents one of the biggest social challenges of our time and requires a whole-of-government response."

Ms Goward said "there is no part of the system that has not been funded".

"Whether its early intervention ... protection and prevention, whether its victim safety, whether its support for the victim through the court process whether its perpetrator accountability, we now have a system in NSW for providing those services."

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said if elected, the Labor Government would spend $88 million to secure safe housing options for women and children who survived family violence.

Topics: domestic-violence, community-and-society, state-parliament, states-and-territories, government-and-politics, budget, sydney-2000, nsw

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