The Palaszczuk Government has worked hard to help Queenslanders at risk of domestic and family violence to unite and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Minister for Child Safety, Youth and Women Di Famer said job losses and financial pressures, alcohol abuse and health advice to stay home had created fear for many Queenslanders living with violence.
“COVID-19 created a perfect storm for people living with domestic and family violence and in some households, violence emerged as a new, never before seen family dynamic,” Ms Farmer said.
“Soon after the COVID-19 pandemic was declared, the Palaszczuk Government delivered $7.5 million to support 120 family and domestic violence services with real and expected demand from the pandemic.
“On May 6, the Palaszczuk Government hosted Australia’s first Domestic and Family Violence COVID-19 Virtual Summit.
“We united 120 people from business and community organisations to work together on solutions to help people affected by domestic and family violence recover from the frightening implications of COVID-19.”
Minister Farmer said satellite events were also held with vulnerable population groups and corporate and community organisations.
“Queenslanders were asked to tell us through an on-line survey what matters were concerning them and their ideas on how we could all unite and recover,” she said.
“The Summit was a resounding success with several key issues and possible solutions identified, including housing, integrating services, the need to engage all Queenslanders in supporting victims of domestic and family violence, and the specific needs of vulnerable groups.
“Given the long tail of COVID we will continue to roll out initiatives in response to matters raised at the summit to help Queenslanders recover.”
Outcomes to date include:
- Establishing a Good Samaritan rental initiative with REIQ offering free or low-cost homes for people who need to escape violence
- Allocated $5 million in Federal funding to 105 domestic and Family violence services
- Amended the Rental Tenancies Act
- Ensuring electronic lodgement of affidavits and court proceedings
- Released the Queensland Police online portal reporting of family violence portal
- Partnering with Telstra to develop a bystander app
- Established a culturally and linguistically diverse roundtable
- Producing domestic and family violence materials in 29 languages
- Launched a domestic and family violence media awareness campaign
- Worked with corporate partners to promote violence prevention messages through their networks with a combined reach of more than 12 million people
- Lunchbox forums to educate corporate partners about domestic and family violence
- In-principle agreement with P&C’s and P&F’s to spread the campaign message along with the Pharmacy Guild and the Australian Medical Association Qld
- Appointing a Domestic Violence coordinator to the LGAQ to assist councils respond to Coronavirus
- Partnering with the National Retailers Association to support small business to respond to domestic violence
“And there’s still more to do,” Ms Farmer said.
“Domestic and family violence is everybody’s responsibility and as we unite and recover from the impacts of COVIDF-19 -I know we can achieve so much together.”
