Crisis-driven response to family violence ‘must end’
Abe Maddison |
A lack of leadership and a crisis-driven, siloed approach to domestic, family and sexual violence has failed victim-survivors, a royal commission has found.
Releasing her report on Tuesday, commissioner Natasha Stott Despoja said significant investment was required to address the 136 recommendations of the commission, set up in 2024 after four South Australian women were killed in a week.
The report was “evidence-based, effective, practical and forward-facing”.
“I believe this report provides a once-in-a-generation opportunity for our state to address the issue of domestic, family and sexual violence in a way that we haven’t before,” she said.
SA Premier Peter Malinauskas said the deaths that sparked the commission had been “a really harsh wake-up call that reminded us all that domestic violence is having an extraordinarily detrimental impact”.
The government had agreed to seven recommendations and would formally respond to the remainder by the end of 2025.
It will establish a 24-hour statewide crisis phone line for victims, a standalone ministerial portfolio for the sector and a lived experience advisory network for adults and children.
A five-year statewide strategy will also be developed.
Across its hearings and listening sessions, the commission heard from more than 5000 people, including victim-survivors, workers, academics, advocates, police, public servants, service providers and national and state commissioners.
South Australia was once a leader in tackling such violence, “and now we are way behind,” Ms Stott Despoja said.
“We’ve lost our way,” she said.
“The commission has found that the domestic, family and sexual violence system in this state is fragmented, it’s crisis-driven and it’s siloed.
“There’s no single point of leadership within the government for the domestic and family violence system and … no-one is held responsible for when services fail people or fail to support victim-survivors.”
Ms Stott Despoja recommended an audit of emergency housing for victim-survivors and setting up “vulnerable witness suites” so victims did not have to face their alleged perpetrators in court.
The Law Society of SA and Chief Justice Chris Kourakis both welcomed recommendations for specialised training for police, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, courts staff and judicial officers.
“High quality education and training programs, developed collaboratively by experts in the field and judge-educators, enhances judicial decision making without diminishing judicial independence,” Mr Kourakis said.
The report recommends restricting the sale and delivery of alcohol overnight, imposing a two-hour delay between ordering and delivery.
Mr Malinauskas said he was aiming for a quick response to the recommendation, noting alcohol delivery was “relatively unregulated”.
“I think that’s got to change,” the premier said.
While nobody could reasonably believe the report would make “all their problems go away tomorrow”, Mr Malinauskas said the proposed reforms would make a difference and allow SA to assume a position of leadership.
The government’s response was deeply inadequate and showed its priorities were “warped”, Opposition Leader Vincent Tarzia said.
“The flow-on effects of domestic violence are devastating, people are literally dying in their homes, yet the government has allocated just $3.5 million to respond to the findings,” Mr Tarzia said.
Some of the stories were “harrowing and heartbreaking”, Ms Stott Despoja said.
“And some will haunt me and my team forever.
“But I’ve also derived a great deal of inspiration from the hope that’s out there, from those people who do actually have a vision of a South Australia that’s violence-free.”
Lifeline 13 11 14
Men’s Referral Service 1300 766 491
1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)
National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028
AAP
