The government is remaining tight-lipped about what else it might do in this month’s federal budget to tackle domestic violence, as it comes under increasing pressure to deliver on existing promises.
The national cabinet this week agreed to extend the $5,000 grant to help people escape domestic violence, but advocates are disappointed that governments have not done more to address critical shortages on the frontline.
Finance Minister Katy Gallagher, who is also Minister for Women, admitted on Sunday that she believed only 30 of the 500 domestic violence frontline workers promised by Labor had so far been recruited .
She said it was up to states to increase that number and she hoped the number would increase significantly in the coming months.
Federal Finance Minister Katy Gallagher (pictured) says the government is failing to deliver on its promise to recruit 500 frontline domestic violence workers.
“They signed a deal to have the vast majority of them employed in the first half of this year, but they say staffing and staffing is a problem,” she told ABC’s Insiders .
In 2022, the government has promised $169 million over four years to fund 500 new frontline workers who help people experiencing domestic, family or sexual violence, who will be recruited by states.
During the week, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese struggled to put a number on the number of workers currently on the ground.
Following Senator Gallagher’s revelations, Deputy Opposition Leader Sussan Ley said it was “simply not good enough” that Labor could not deliver on the promises it had made.
‘This is not good enough. When were these figures last questioned by the Minister for Women and why is she not asking for updates every day? she said in a statement with Kerrynne Liddle, the spokesperson for the Family Violence Prevention Coalition.
“It was the Prime Minister himself who made this promise and so it is his government’s responsibility to keep it, not to blame the states and territories.”
“Labor must tackle the domestic violence crisis by keeping its promises and delivering more action in the next Budget to change this terrible situation. path.’
The current agreement will expire in June.
The Government has pledged $169 million over four years to fund 500 new frontline domestic violence workers (pictured left to right: Senator Gallagher, Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese)
Elsewhere, the Greens are calling on the government to “take women’s safety seriously” by doubling funding for the National Housing and Homelessness Accord to $3.6 billion a year.
Greens housing spokesperson Max Chandler-Mather highlighted recent government data which found that more than 96 per cent of people who needed long-term accommodation after fleeing violence had fled denied housing, calling it a “national disgrace”.
“Doubling funding for housing and homelessness would ensure every woman fleeing domestic violence receives housing and support, it’s that simple,” Mr Chandler-Mather said.
“If Labor can find $50 billion in the budget for additional military spending over the next decade, surely they can find at least $40 billion over a decade to ensure that housing and support services homeless people have what they need to house and help every woman fleeing domestic violence.
The Prime Minister (pictured centre) faces calls from the Greens to double down on the National Deal on housing and homelessness.
Senator Gallagher said it was easy for the Greens to ask for increased funding because they were not required to balance a budget.
“The Greens say we have to double everything. The Greens are not obliged to manage a budget,” she said.
“The budget is under great pressure. We try to do what we can for each budget, and we think deeply about those decisions, and then we figure out what’s possible.
She said the government was currently negotiating the next agreement with the states.
Senator Gallagher also remained tight-lipped on whether the government would increase single parent benefits or rental assistance, as demanded by social service agencies.
She said the government had increased the payment for single parents in the last budget and “expanded access” to the payment “specifically in response to some of the work being done around women experiencing violence and limiting choices around the way they leave.
Senator Gallagher (pictured) did not release details on whether the government would increase payments for single parents and rental assistance in the next federal budget.
“I think the Treasurer and I have made it clear, as well as the Prime Minister, that with every budget we look at what we can do with the payment system to make sure we provide as much support as possible to people who I need that extra help,” she said.
She said the government was aiming for economic equality for women.
“Part of the answer is in the payment system, part of it is how we approach gender equality and the gender pay gap more broadly,” she said.
“There is a whole-of-government response to these issues. It’s not just one thing.
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