SiS Tasmania has called on the Tasmanian Government to do more to support Aboriginal people exposed to family violence - particularly women, children and families.

A branch of the Tasmanian Aboriginal Legal Service (TALS), SiS — Support, Information, Strength — is the only dedicated Aboriginal family violence and prevention legal service in Tasmania.

It supports the legal, cultural, familial and support needs holistically, for Aboriginal people experiencing family violence across the state.

Coinciding with National Family Violence Remembrance Day, TALS chief executive Jake Smith called for more support for Aboriginal people at risk of, experiencing or who have experienced family violence.

"Here in Tasmania more needs to be done at a state level from the Tasmanian Government, to support Aboriginal people at risk of, experiencing or who have experienced family violence - particularly women, children and families," Mr Smith said on Wednesday.

Mr Smith said the National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children 2022-2032 recognises First Nations people as a priority group.

"The Our Ways - Strong Ways - Our Voices National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Plan to End Family, Domestic and Sexual Violence 2026-2036 was released earlier this year," he said.

"There is a clear target under the National Agreement to Closing the Gap to reduce the disproportionate rates of family violence, yet no data reported against it since 2018-19."

Responding to questions posed by National Indigenous Times, Tasmanian Minister for Women and the Prevention of Family Violence, Jane Howlett, said reducing and eliminating family and sexual violence "is a priority of the government".

"Under our Third Family and Sexual Violence Action Plan, Survivors at the Centre, more than $140 million has been committed over five years," Ms Howlett said.

"This includes capital and ongoing funding for our three Arch Centre, which provide coordinated access to counselling, health care and other essential services in a safe and supportive environment."

Ms Howlett said in February 2025 the government signed the new Federation Funding Agreement on Family, Domestic and Sexual Violence Responses 2021-2030 — previously called the National Partnership Agreement — which secured an additional $7.8 million in Commonwealth funding and was matched by the state government.

"This brings Tasmania's total share of Commonwealth funding to $29 million to support frontline services, innovative responses and services for diverse communities, including Aboriginal Tasmanians," Ms Howlett said.

Aboriginal women are 34 times more likely to be hospitalised due to family violence than non-Aboriginal women, SiS said, and are 11 times more likely to lose their lives to assault.

Mr Smith called on the government to resource SiS adequately to support the vulnerable cohort.

"We have called on the State Government as a budget priority to assist in expanding our workforce, given the high demand for our service, or at the very least, to secure our social and support workforce to ensure we can continue to deliver these important services across Tasmania," Mr Smith said.

Confirming she recently met with SiS and TALS, Ms Howlett said she will "continue working closely with community organisations to strengthen support for all Tasmanians affected by family violence".

Creating lasting change requires commitment from all levels of government, across all jurisdictions, working side by side with community organisations."