WESNET Media Release

22 March 2005

Womens domestic and family violence services across Australia await the outcome of the SAAP V negotiations between the Commonwealth and State Governments. WESNET member services anxiously scan the news to see the future for women and children who are abused in their own homes. SAAP, Australia's major response to homelessness, is currently subject to disagreement between the governments about how much they each should pay.

Women and children who are subjected to violence and abuse are forced to flee their homes and seek safety in womens shelters, refuges and safe houses said Pauline Woodbridge, National Chair of WESNET, we need more services for these families, not less.

Women and children often become homeless as a result of the violence they experience, and with that homelessness, comes poverty. Why should Australian women and children forced into homelessness through no fault of their own, find they are turned away from a service sector that cannot cope with the demand? asked Ms Julie Oberin, WESNET Victorian representative. Funding cuts, as a result of the Australian governments arguments,  will have a terrible impact right across this country said Ms Oberin.

The Commonwealths own independent evaluation into SAAP found that SAAP was effective and timely, however just to maintain the existing services for the next 5 years, a 15% increase was required.  All the States and  Commonwealth should be discussing increasing the funding another 25% to service the unmet demand said Terri Francis, Tasmanian representative for WESNET.

Even after the last 6 years of the Commonwealth $50m expenditure on the Partnerships Against Domestic Violence initiative, due to end in June 2005, violence to women and children goes on. Women and children face a double whammy as attention to their plight moves on and services set up to help them become scarce, said Sue Brownlee, Northern Territory representative of WESNET.

There are too many women in rural and remote communities that have no services at all, said Ms Shirley Slann, WESNET Indigenous representative. We need more services in these areas and that means we need more money in SAAP.

It is never acceptable to put womens and childrens safety at stake because governments disagree over whose responsibility it is said Ms Woodbridge, we urge the governments to do the right thing and provide adequate funding for our services without delay.

For further information please contact: 

Pauline Woodbridge, National Chairperson, 07 4721 2888
Julie Oberin, Victorian Representative, 0419 539 346
Shirley Slann, Indigenous Representative, 07 4743 0946
Sue Brownlee, NT Representative, 08 8945 1388
Terri Francis, Tasmanian Representative, 03 6344 6535