The draft National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children 2022-2032 outlines a shared long-term commitment to a future free from all forms of gender-based violence in Australia built on four pillars: Prevention, Intervention, Response and Recovery.

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The wide-ranging plan covers a host of measures to prevent violence, as well as looking at how best to support victims during and after emergency situations.

Bendigo's Centre for Non-Violence (CNV) chief executive Margaret Augerinos said the plan has made some positive first steps, and was pleased to see the elevation of voices with lived experiences of family violence in policy implementation.

"We are also pleased at the commitment to establish a National Domestic Family and Sexual Violence Commission which will have responsibility for monitoring and reporting on accountability and evaluation frameworks," she said.

Ms Augerinos said that the acknowledgement of the importance of a dedicated Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Action Plan was also a positive step forward.

However, CNV said the plan doesn't provide any commitment to tackling technology facilitated abuse.

"(We need) ongoing support (for) our national domestic and family violence peak, WESNET, who have been delivering critical technology safety work to frontline services," the chief executive said.

The centre also said that the plan failed to take into consideration the needs for federal housing and refuge support.

"One of the greatest needs victims and survivors are experiencing is access to appropriate crisis housing and refuge support and, safe, affordable and longer term housing," Ms Augerinos said.

Finally, the CNV said that the feedback period does not allow sufficient time for stakeholders to read and digest the detail.

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"Many people are still on holiday leave," Ms Augerinos said, "we are hopeful government will extend the timeframe to allow victim/survivors, frontline services and other policy specialists time to respond."

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Women Marise Payne said shifting the dial on women's safety required a national effort.

"That is why the next National Plan is being developed in consultation with the states and territories through the National Federation Reform Council Women's Safety Taskforce," she said.

"The next National Plan also commits to two, five-year Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Action Plans to be developed and delivered by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and will be the primary mechanism for implementing Closing the Gap Target 13."

The draft National Plan was developed through consultation with victim-survivors, specialist services, representatives from the health, law and justice sectors, business, and community groups, all levels of government and other experts.

You can read the draft and also give feedback, here.

If you or someone you know is experiencing family and domestic violence, help is available, contact:

If a life is in danger, call Triple Zero (000).

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