Ngaweeyan Maar-oo Closing the Gap Victoria’s Post

Good Friday - the 29th March - marks the 8th anniversary of Victoria’s Royal Commission into Family Violence. Despite the Victorian Government implementing all 227 recommendations, STILL in Victoria today: - Rates of violence against Aboriginal women CONTINUE TO RISE. - Aboriginal children are TAKEN AT ALARMING RATES, with family violence a key driver. - Aboriginal women are LOCKED UP AT FAR GREATER RATES than other women in Victoria. I recall standing on the steps of Parliament in 2016 together with other family violence service providers, celebrating that Aboriginal women were front and centre in this report. This report saw an unprecedented investment into our self-determined solutions BUT STILL TODAY, we cannot meet demand – which grew by 33% in the last year alone. This anniversary, we call on the VICTORIAN GOVERNMENT to invest into our services – legal and non-legal - that keep our women and children together, not separated. We call on the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT to commit to Aboriginal women’s self-determined solutions by investing in our early intervention programs. The Federal government provides virtually nothing for Djirra’s programs – Sisters Day Out®, Dilly Bag and Young Luv®. It’s time for the Department of Social Services, to establish a dedicated funding stream for Djirra, and other specialist Family Violence Prevention and Legal Services, NON-LEGAL work. Back in our calls by sending an email to the Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth MP at Minister.Rishworth@dss.gov.au Djirra also calls on the Attorney-General to urgently publish the Independent National Legal Assistance Partnership Review. The government must provide for pay parity with Legal Aid and reallocate resources from mainstream legal services to Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations. Back in our calls by sending an email to the Attorney General Mark Dreyfus at mark.dreyfus.mp@aph.gov.au Djirra has the solutions. We just need the commitment and investment from GOVERNMENTS TO implement them. Mark Dreyfus Katy Gallagher Amanda Rishworth MP Linda Burney we want action! #WeHavetheSolutions #AboriginalWomensLivesMatter #ClosetheGap

Disturbing statistics from a recent survey by ANROWS (Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety): Only 41% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people believe police take violence against women seriously, compared to 50% of non-Indigenous respondents. More than 1 in 4 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander respondents do not expect confidential or fair treatment from police, courts, or services. These figures reveal the systemic barriers First Nations women face when seeking safety and justice. As ANROWS emphasises: “Ending violence against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women requires addressing the ongoing impacts of colonisation and systemic racism.” We must amplify First Nations voices, demand accountability, and work towards dismantling these harmful systems. Read the Women's Agenda article here: https://lnkd.in/gb5BgEJW Support is available: ➡️ DV Connect: 1800 811 811 (24/7) ➡️1800 RESPECT: 1800 737 732 (24/7) ➡️13YARN (13 92 76): A dedicated helpline for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, available 24/7. WLSQ Free DV Legal Assistance Helpline: 1800 957 957 (9am–4:30pm) Monday to Friday. https://lnkd.in/gvMDPXa4

We claim to be a country that cares about children’s rights. But children are being treated inhumanely in detention centres and police watchhouses around Australia. And in 2024, it got even worse. That’s the damning assessment of the new Human Rights Watch (HRW) World Report 2025. HRW calls out the use of solitary confinement on children, the reversal of progress in some jurisdictions on raising the age of criminal responsibility, and the practice of locking kids up in adult facilities in Queensland and WA as clear examples of our failure to protect kids. This verdict should be a wake-up call for Australian authorities. It doesn’t have to be this way. Australian governments can follow the recommendations we’ve made with civil society partners to: - raise the age of criminal responsibility from 10 years old to 14, making our children and communities safer. - stop locking up children in solitary confinement and adult facilities. - invest in programs supporting children and young people in the community, preventing contact with the criminal legal system. Read HRW’s World Report at: https://lnkd.in/g37nXN8i

The Closing the Gap report released yesterday yet again showed NO NEW DATA on the number of Aboriginal women and girls subjected to family violence. The data is now at least 6 years OUT OF DATE and the Government continues to use 2018/19 data to make vital decisions about our women’s lives and safety. And to make the situation worse we know NLAP to date has so far FAILED to address Closing the Gap targets. It has now been over 4 months since Dr Warren Mundy delivered 39 recommendations on URGENT changes needed for a successor to the current National Legal Assistance Partnership (NLAP). The NLAP is the main Commonwealth vehicle for funding legal assistance to more vulnerable people across the country. MORE Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children have been taken from their families and placed in out-of-home care, MORE Aboriginal people are incarcerated (often on remand) and recorded incidents of family violence against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women are INCREASING. Governments must INVEST in our culturally safe legal assistance to give all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people the choice to have their needs met by Aboriginal led organisations. And that means REALLOCATING funds from mainstream legal assistance providers to Aboriginal led organisations. Stand beside us. Share this post and join our calls for URGENT agreement and coordinated action by Federal, State and Territory governments.

Djirra and other Family Violence Prevention and Legal Services (FVPLSs) work at the frontline of Aboriginal women’s safety. We rely on Government funding but right now we receive the LOWEST funding of the four legal assistance providers in Australia. Yet, 90+% of FVPLS staff are women, we employ more Aboriginal women than other legal assistance providers and 90+% of those we assist are women and their children who experience family and sexual violence. ABORIGINAL WOMEN DESERVE BETTER. The National Legal Assistance Partnership (NLAP) – which sets out funding for all legal assistance providers – will expire in June 2025, leaving our sector and our women with no long-term security. The Independent Review of the NLAP recommended a raft of changes (add link) but we are STILL waiting for Governments to act. The Commonwealth, State and Territory Governments MUST reach agreement on the successor to NLAP URGENTLY. We need certainty. We need funding. We need to do more to support Aboriginal women and children’s safety. #AboriginalWomensLivesMatter

Legal services save lives. We can not stress this enough. Womens legal services provide an essential and highly specialised function for women who flee violence- we need them. 52,000 women are turned away every year- and they are the ones who know they CAN access a service. The NLAP is critical and requires commitment from all governments across the country as a matter of urgency. Women's Legal Service NSW Women's Legal Centre ACT & Region Women's Legal Service Queensland #savecommunitylegalcentres

We can do better

This week, I had the privilege of participating in the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia sittings in Mildura. These regional sittings are a critical reminder of the importance of ensuring equitable access to justice for all Australians, no matter where they live. For many families navigating the complexities of family law, the ability to have their matters heard locally is about far more than convenience. It’s about affordability—removing the financial strain of traveling to metropolitan courts, which can often include the cost of transport, accommodation, and time away from work or family responsibilities. It’s also about comfort. For many in our region, traveling to a major city could mean their first visit to a bustling metro area, an experience that can feel overwhelming and isolating during an already challenging time. By bringing the court to the community, these sittings allow people to engage with the justice system in a space that feels familiar and accessible. Just as importantly, the court’s presence in our community sends a powerful message: regional Australians are seen, valued, and equally deserving of access to justice. For practitioners like me, it’s a poignant reminder of why we do this work—to serve and support the people who entrust us with their most personal and significant matters. The timing of these sittings during the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence feels especially significant. In Mildura, where family violence rates are alarmingly high, many of the families we work with have been deeply affected by violence and coercive control. Regional court sittings make it easier for victims to access justice and, crucially, the support networks they rely on in their local community. Let’s continue to advocate for visibility, accessibility, and justice for all—regardless of postcode. Together, we can ensure that regional voices are heard and supported in a meaningful way. #AccessToJustice #RegionalAustralia #FamilyLaw #16DaysOfActivism #EndFamilyViolence #CoerciveControl #SupportNetworks #EquityInJustice

As Domestic Violence Awareness Month concludes, it’s essential to continue focusing on the urgent issue of domestic violence in Indigenous communities, where women face alarmingly high rates of violence and significant barriers to accessing support services. 🔍 Why This Matters: Over 84% of Native American and Alaska Native women experience violence in their lifetime, making access to crucial legal support essential for safety and healing. 📜 Legislative Action and Progress: The federal POWER Act promotes pro bono legal services specifically for survivors of gender-based violence, fostering collaboration with Indigenous communities to ensure culturally relevant support. In 2022, 81% of federal judicial districts hosted POWER Act events, engaging over 43,000 Americans and addressing the unique legal needs of Indigenous populations. 📖 Learn More: Read Pro Bono Institute’s latest PBEye blog post, "Breaking the Cycle: Addressing Domestic Violence in Indigenous Communities": https://lnkd.in/eZr3VGbC #DomesticViolenceAwareness #IndigenousCommunities #ProBono #POWERAct #AccessToJustice #SurvivorSupport #CommunityEngagement

Djirra and other Aboriginal Family Violence Prevention and Legal Services (FVPLSs) provide ESSENTIAL life-saving legal and non-legal supports to Aboriginal women and children experiencing family and sexual violence – YET we remain chronically under resourced. As one of the four legal assistance providers in the country, FVPLSs work is unique and specialist. YET we receive significantly less funding than the other legal assistance service providers - Legal Aid Commissions, Community Legal Centres and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services. The future National Access to Justice Partnership (NAJP) will focus on addressing violence against women and children, and putting their safety first. BUT to achieve this for Aboriginal women and children, more funding for our specialist, frontline FVPLSs is essential. Aboriginal women and children DESERVE BETTER and must have access to our life saving, holistic culturally safe services - no matter where they live. Aboriginal women in this country are 33 times more likely to be hospitalised due to family violence than other women and 8 times more likely to be killed in a violent assault. The increasingly high rates of violence against our women and children is evident in the demand for Djirra’s services – which increased 33% last year and a further 22% in the first quarter of 2024. As the new NAJP is formed, we URGE the Federal Government to do MORE to SEE, HEAR AND INVEST IN Aboriginal women and children’s lives and safety. We MUST have increased funding. We MUST have clarity on future funding allocations to DJIRRA and other FVPLSs. We MUST see Aboriginal women and children’s safety prioritised. And we MUST see real action on Closing the Gap. Read more at https://lnkd.in/gAcB8baZ #NAJP #NLAP #AboriginalWomensLivesMatter #SaveFVPLS Antoinette Braybrook AM