The Western Australian Government is seeking an Aboriginal community-controlled organisation to provide a family violence prevention legal service in the Perth metropolitan area.
A tender process is underway for a service which provides culturally sensitive, legal and related services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who are experiencing or recovering from family violence or sexual assault.
Services would include advice, representation and/or support concerning matters such as family law, child protection, housing and tenancy, credit and debt, and restraining orders.
The provider would also support and educate Aboriginal women to grow resilience through connection and yarning, develop healthy relationships and build strong and healthy communities.
The Department of Justice tender is limited to Aboriginal community-controlled organisations, in line with principles of self-determination and the Government’s Aboriginal procurement policies.
Other organisations may participate in the tender in partnership with Aboriginal-controlled counterparts.
The new service provider in Perth would start operating from July 2022 under a three-year contract.
Further information about this tender opportunity is available Display Tender DOJ202141090 (tenders.wa.gov.au)
As stated by Attorney General John Quigley:
“The McGowan Government is committed to ensuring Aboriginal women who have experienced domestic or sexual violence can access the supports they need to rebuild their lives.
“First Nations women and children who have experienced domestic or sexual violence require a multitude of intensive legal and related supports in a co-ordinated response that a family violence prevention legal service is uniquely placed to deliver.”
As stated by Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence Minister Simone McGurk:
“Aboriginal women are more than 30 times more likely to be hospitalised in Australia from family violence than non-Aboriginal women.
“While legal interventions can help keep women and children safe, education is a key driver to bring about cultural change, and family violence prevention legal services are well placed to deliver this critical assistance to First Nations women.”
As stated by Aboriginal Affairs Minister Stephen Dawson:
“More than 200 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the metropolitan area accessed legal and related services from the current provider in 2020-21 so we know there’s a need for this important service.
“Community controlled services and initiatives are the foundation to healing our First Nations people impacted by trauma and violence, and building the community controlled sector is a priority reform under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap.”
