Loddon Campaspe Community Legal Centre senior lawyer Chris Casey told the commission on Tuesday that there was a “fundamental failure” in regards to access to justice for regional victims of family violence. 

Mr Casey said there was an “extremely high” level of family violence in central Victoria, with Echuca holding the unenviable title of the highest offence rate in the state. He said regional courts lacked basics such as security screening facilities and separate areas for victims and their abusers.

“It’s not unusual [in the Bendigo court] to feel eyes burning into the back of your head, to look up and see the respondent staring at you and their victim,” he said.

Offenders often intimidated their victims prior to court proceedings, “hovering back and forth and keeping our clients under surveillance”, he told the commission.

Mr Casey said there was a strong argument for greater reliance on the use of video conferencing technology, which would “reduce the size of the state” and not force victims into such close proximity of their abusers.

However Mr Casey said the expanded use of such technology should not come at the expense of properly resourcing regional courts. 

Resources were already stretched to the limit, with LCCLC duty lawyers dealing with up to 19 court matters before 1pm, he said. 

Mr Casey said speaking at the commission was an excellent opportunity to “promote the strong and courageous voices” of women who had spoken of their experiences with family violence to LCCLC.