WELFARE services and politicians are calling on the State Government to urgently fund family violence services in the West.
Keilor MP Natalie Hutchins recently tabled a report in Parliament about the cycle of family violence in Keilor and across the West.
Ms Hutchins said the Sunshine Magistrates Court is dealing with 150 cases of family violence a week, but could deal with 100 cases every day if they had more resources.
During Parliament last week Ms Hutchins slammed the Government for not acting on family violence in its first 10 months in government.
Altona MP and Shadow Minister for Crime Prevention Jill Hennessy said 30 per cent of assaults were incidents of family violence.
“It’s trending in the wrong direction,” Ms Hennessy said.
Ms Hennessy said comments made by Crime Prevention Minister Andrew McIntosh in Parliament last month, in which he said family violence was “not quite” in his portfolio, but was for the Women’s Affairs Minister to deal with, made her “blood boil”.
Ms Hennessy said the Government had spent $14 million on the eradication of graffiti and “not one dollar” on the prevention of family violence.
Women’s Health West CEO Dr Robyn Gregory told Star she found the comments made by Mr McIntosh in parliament contradictory to what she has previously heard him say and he should be “held to account”.
“It’s not just about response, it’s not just about dealing with the problem after its occurred it’s about prevention which means it’s got to be in the crime prevention and the justice portfolio and the health portfolios,” she said.
Dr Gregory said as well increasing funding to the West, the government needs to commit to a state plan for the prevention of violence against women and commit resources.
“We’d really like to see some funding that is earmarked for prevention of violence being allocated to services like the women’s health services,” she said.
Mr McIntosh did not respond to Star’s calls, but his colleague Western Metropolitan MP Bernie Finn said residents can be assured the Government will act on family violence.
Mr Finn said family violence was an “appalling crime” and that the high incidents in the West were “chilling”.
