Domestic, sexual and family violence services may need to scale back after 'let-down' budget

Frontline domestic, family and sexual violence services say the federal government has let down those facing violence by not allocating enough funding in the budget.Domestic, family and sexual violence organisations say they'll need to start winding back services because the federal government hasn't invested enough in the sector in its latest budget.

They've also been knocked back for federal government funding to expand, despite having to turn away women.Women and Children First runs two emergency refuges in Sydney's Northern Beaches, where advocacy and impact officer Hannah Mayjor and her colleagues are struggling to meet demand. "What we're seeing is a shell game on a massive scale — it sounds like we're getting a billion, but we're not really."Arlia Fleming, who is CEO of the Central Tablelands and Blue Mountains Community Legal Centre as well as deputy chairperson for Community Legal Centres Australia, said the lack of funding for the sector was scary."And that is a really horrible place to be sitting when we serve so many vulnerable communities across Australia.

Ms Fleming said while any funding is gratefully received, the sector only received a small portion of the $125 million it called for to meet demand."It's not ethical to offer someone an ongoing service when you aren't certain that you can keep the doors open."Elise Phillips, Deputy CEO of Domestic Violence New South Wales, said the federal government must stop blaming state and territory governments.

Ms Phillips said making the escaping violence payment permanent was a good step and the government's national plan to end violence against women and children was ambitious. "In each of our first three budgets, we have invested significant funding for women's safety. This week's budget brought that figure to over $3.4 billion.

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