2024-25 Victorian State Budget Submission

Across the state, specialist family violence services are under severe pressure, with levels of demand reaching unsustainable levels and some victim survivors are facing wait times for case management support. Despite this, nearly $50 million dollars of funding to the family violence sector is due to lapse in June 2024. 

Safe and Equal is calling on the Victorian Government to make this funding ongoing, as one of four critical areas to prioritise in the 2024-25 State Budget: 

1. Sustainably fund the specialist family violence response sector 
2. Increase safe and affordable housing to facilitate recovery from family violence 
3. Continue funding to embed the Multi Agency Risk and Assessment Management (MARAM) Framework across prescribed workforces 
4. Maintain primary prevention work 

Family and gender-based violence is preventable. Ending family violence in a generation doesn’t have to be a pipe dream. It’s a huge task, one that takes renewed commitment and investment, alongside ongoing, coordinated action across all parts of our community and all levels of government. It is our hope the Victorian Government will prioritise addressing these critical gaps and issues, so every Victorian has the chance to live a life free from violence. 

We call on the Victorian Government to invest in the areas we have highlighted throughout this submission. These priorities have been drawn from the Measuring Family Violence Service Demand and Capacity report and our consultations with members and people with lived experience.