The New South Wales Government's standalone Aboriginal Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Plan has been commended as a "positive first step" by the Aboriginal Legal Service of NSW and the ACT.
Backed by an initial $2 million investment in the state's upcoming budget, the plan responds to calls from the Aboriginal community for a dedicated response to domestic, family and sexual violence in Aboriginal communities across New South Wales.
The plan was co-designed and developed in partnership with the Aboriginal Legal Service NSW/ACT, Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations, Aboriginal community stakeholders and the broader domestic violence sector.
ALS (NSW/ACT) chief executive Karly Warner welcomed the investment.
"It is significant that the plan is being co-designed and delivered with Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations and is the first of its kind," Ms Warner said.
"Addressing the unacceptable rates of violence against Aboriginal women and children will require ongoing commitment to significant and sustained investment in community-led solutions in the long term."
Aboriginal women in New South Wales are eight times more likely to be recorded as a victim of domestic violence than non-Aboriginal women, a disproportionate rate Ms Warner labelled "unacceptable".
"Addressing the unacceptable rates of violence against Aboriginal women and children will require ongoing commitment to significant and sustained investment in community-led solutions in the long term," Ms Warner said.
Set to be released in late 2025, the plan will support the Government's commitments under the National Agreement to Closing the Gap, including Target 13 – to bring about a significant and sustained reduction in all forms of violence and abuse against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and children towards zero.
Although supportive of the plan, Ms Warner was critical of the Government's investment in the state's justice system, which she said will "inevitably" affect more Indigenous peoples.
"However, we are very concerned that this funding is dwarfed by the Premier's simultaneously announced $500 million investment in bolstering prisons and courts, which will inevitably drive more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and children into the justice system," the Palawa woman said.
"We urge the government to back up its commitments to improving community safety with meaningful and urgent investment in vital community services and infrastructure, community-controlled legal assistance, and culturally safe wrap-around services that address unmet needs and prevent violence in the first place."
The funding announcement is in addition to $20 million allocated from the Commonwealth National Partnership Agreement on Domestic and Family Violence to progress Target 13 initiatives.
NSW Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Treaty, David Harris said the state government is continuing to turn its Closing the Gap commitments for shared decision making into action by working with Aboriginal organisations to lead the way in keeping families safe.
"We know that Aboriginal communities experience domestic and family violence at much higher rates than other communities and this funding is another vital step in helping to keep more Aboriginal women and children safe," Mr Harris said.
"All the evidence tells us that when Aboriginal communities drive change in partnership with Government, better outcomes are achieved, and we're fully committed to that."
The plan is part of the NSW government's $272.7 million domestic and family violence package to strengthen and build a more robust system to support victim-survivors of domestic and family violence.
New South Wales Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, Jodie Harrison, said the number of Aboriginal families experiencing domestic and family violence is "tragic and unacceptable".
"We are working closely with Aboriginal organisations in developing our first dedicated Aboriginal Domestic and Family Violence Plan, and will continue to do so as we roll out programs to address domestic violence in Aboriginal families and communities," Ms Harrison said.
"We know that co-designed initiatives and approaches lead to better outcomes for Aboriginal women and children, supporting self-determination, healing and recovery."
