Representatives from legal, family safety and community organisations working together as an advisory panel to secure state government support for a North East Specialist Family Violence Court and Victorian Legal Aid office have met again in Wangaratta to progress the case.
The panel was set up after Derryn Hinch’s Justice Party Northern Victoria MP Tania Maxwell, Hume Riverina Community Legal Service and the Centre Against Violence convened a roundtable on September 20 and won broad support from more than 10 stakeholder organisations to advocate the need to the government.
Crime Statistics Agency data consistently shows a high incidence of family safety and violence issues in Benalla, Wangaratta and Wodonga.
But the nearest specialist court and Legal Aid services are in Shepparton – two hours’ drive from the region’s largest population centre.
HRCLS acting principal Alison Maher, chairing the first advisory panel meeting on October 10, praised the level of commitment shown by all representatives and the collaborative buy-in to advocate for a specialist court.
“There is genuine interest from everyone involved to get better outcomes for family violence victim survivors and perpetrators,” Ms Maher said.
“We are taking a holistic approach to this advocacy campaign, and how the specialist family violence court provides much more comprehensive support for victims and perpetrators than currently exists in our traditional court structure and system in North East Victoria.”
Advisory panel members include Ms Maxwell, Centre Against Violence chief executive officer Jaime Chubb, Wangaratta mayor Dean Rees, Indigo Shire councillor Sophie Price, Wodonga City councillor Graeme Simpfendorfer, and Gateway Health and Albury Wodonga Women’s Centre for Health and Wellbeing leaders.
Ms Maher said the collective information from everyone involved and the powerful voice of lived experience would create a compelling case.
“Victim survivors are coming forward to share their stories about their experiences in our courts, how they felt and the lack of support they received at a time when they were most vulnerable and often feeling intimidated,” she said.
“We will be making the best of the opportunities to tell the state government how this service is vitally needed in our area.”
Ms Chubb said the Centre Against Violence valued the opportunity to be part of the advisory panel.
“With regional figures for family violence being well above the state average, it is imperative that our community receives more support,” she said.
“The ability to access a Specialist Family Violence Court will make a significant difference for the outcomes for families.
“Equally important is the need for free legal aid services in our region, which will give better access to justice to our most vulnerable.
“Having both services accessible to our region will be a game changer for our community.”
Ms Maxwell has written to Attorney General Jaclyn Symes MP and Family Violence Prevention Minister Ros Spence MP.
Ms Maxwell said Victoria’s royal commission into family violence made a priority call for victims and perpetrators in rural and regional communities to be given better access to support and services.
“But seven years later, when we’re seeing persistent incidents across our communities, there’s still no specialist family violence court or Victorian Legal Aid office in Wodonga or Wangaratta and no support services in local courts,” she said.
Ms Maxwell said she detailed the glaring gap in specialist family violence court and Legal Aid services in the North East when she met Attorney General Jaclyn Symes MP in Parliament on August 17, and invited her to join the roundtable, together with Family Violence Prevention Minister Ros Spence MP.
