Central Victorian family violence services have joined a state-wide campaign urging the state government for more funding to continue operations.
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The push for greater support comes as Maryborough's Orange Door expansion rolls out.
Centre for Non-Violence has joined Domestic Violence Victoria, the Victorian Council of Social Service, No To Violence and other partner agencies in lobbying the government to reconsider plans to offer social service organisations a funding increase which is less than the rising costs of delivering services.
Chief executive Margaret Augerinos said "saying 'thanks' for what we do, is not enough".
"What government is offering is just under half of what we actually need," she said. "If we only receive half, critical services and programs will be lost. It will impact on the capacity for us to deliver services across the region.
Already our funding is insufficient to meet demand and if we do not receive adequate funding this year, we will have to make decisions about where we can provide services, and what we can provide.
- Margaret Augerinos
In the 2019-20 financial year, Centre for Non-Violence responded to more than 2700 police referrals, and provided a range of case management support, therapeutic services, financial support, emergency accommodation, family violence training and men's behaviour change programs for more than 2500 people across the region.
Ms Augerinos said during the 2020-21 financial year, they had seen increased demand on an already stretched service as a result of Covid-19.
Centre for Non-Violence have written to state government ministers calling for a fair rate of indexation covering the cost of implementing the minimum wage increase, the increase in the superannuation guarantee and the cost of implementing the Portable Long Service Leave scheme.
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"Current funding levels fail to meet the true cost of delivering our services," Ms Augerinos said. "The proposed funding indexation for 2021-22 further fails to cover recent cost rises.
"In rural and regional areas in particular, there is insufficient recognition of the cost of delivering services across large and diverse geographical areas, which often costs more because of large distances and increased infrastructure.
"We absolutely need proper indexation and analysis of what it costs to deliver high quality, evidence-based services."
Minister for Prevention of Family Violence Gabrielle Williams announced on Wednesday the Loddon Orange Door network would expand with the Maryborough District Hospital to provide family violence services from September.
The $448 million Orange Door network provides multiple ways to access face-to-face support by connecting with existing central Victorian family violence services Anglicare Victoria, Bendigo and District Aboriginal Cooperative, Centre for Non-Violence and Njernda Aboriginal Corporation.
Opened at the beginning of October 2020, Loddon's Orange Door network has provided a response for more than 6000 Victorians, including more than 2000 children.
Seeking help
If you or someone you know is experiencing violence, help is available:
- Safe Steps, Victoria's 24-hour family violence response hotline - 1800 015 188
- 1800 RESPECT, the 24-hour national sexual assault, domestic and family violence counselling service - 1800 737 732
- No To Violence's Men's Referral Service, for men concerned about their use of violence - 1300 766 491
- The Centre Against Sexual Assault Central Victoria, available from 9am - 5pm on weekdays, on 5441 0430, and the Sexual Assault Crisis Line at all other times on 1800 806 292.
- The Orange Door in Loddon, available from 9am - 5pm weekdays - 1800 512 359
- The Centre for Non-Violence, for people who live in the Loddon region, on 1800 884 292.
In an emergency, phone 000
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