A majority Labor Government will introduce a package aimed at helping women and assisting in the prevention of family violence.
Shadow Minister for Women, Equality and Prevention of Family Violence Michelle O’Byrne said more needed to be done to address the issues facing Tasmanian women and families.
“A majority Labor Government would implement a $28 million package to help women and assist with the prevention of family violence,” Ms O’Byrne said.
“This package includes the introduction of regulations to the Residential Tenancy Act, with the current act not allowing women to stay in shelter accommodation after three months without a residential agreement.
“What this means is currently women are forced out of accommodation before they are ready to leave and this is simply unacceptable.
“Labor will introduce regulations to the Act so a residential tenancy agreement is not required for up to 12 months where residence is being used to provide accommodation for a person escaping family violence.”
Ms O’Byrne said this regulation was one of a number of initiatives in the package, with $3.4 million to employ 10 case workers to provide intensive support over 23 emergency shelters, $6 million to provide another 150 private rentals for rapid re-housing, $6 million of grant funding for specialist family violence support services to meet unmet demand and $2.8 million for Women’s Legal Service Tasmania.
“Labor’s package includes a number of initiatives to help assist members of the community in need.
“We will increase funding to the Family Violence Counselling Support service to meet demand, including retaining the additional staff employed during COVID and increasing staffing with an additional 7 staff across the state in both adult and children services.
“Labor will establish a Treasury led taskforce to examine the gender barriers in the economy that continue to disadvantage women and invest $4 million into a significant program with on the ground services to deliver targeted primary prevention and intervention prevention programs.
“The Liberals have had seven years to take action to help women and families facing incredibly difficult circumstances, and they have failed.
“Only Labor is working for Tasmanians to create a better and fairer state.”
Michelle O’Byrne MP
Shadow Minister for Women, Equality and Prevention of Family Violence
