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Northern Integrated Family
Violence Services Partnership
For professionals supporting the
safety of victim survivors in Melbourne's
northern metropolitan region

Breaking Down the 2022 Victorian Budget

The Victorian Government handed down the 2022-23 budget on 3 May 2022, which includes a continued focus on family violence.

The Budget includes:

  • $2.9 million to continue the Elder Abuse Prevention Networks.
  • An additional $504 million for early intervention initiatives to support vulnerable families and children.
  • A further $241 million to support victim survivors of family violence:
    • $69 million to continue funding for family violence refuges.
    • Upgrade three existing partner agency-operated facilities and purchase six new crisis accommodation properties.
    • $43 million for family violence services, including additional crisis case management for victim survivors of family violence, specialist therapeutic counselling services for children and young people, and financial supports for victim survivors fleeing family violence.
    • $30 million including continued support for perpetrators behavioural change programs, including enabling family violence specialists to engage with perpetrators who have gone through MBCPs to understand how to make these services more effective in the future. $3.2 million over three years to pilot intensive interventions for high-risk perpetrators.
    • $30 million to expand the capabilities of the Central Information Point to Safe Steps and the Men’s Referral Service to further support crisis responses for victim survivors and perpetrator response.
    • $2.1 million over three years to fund increased demand and a technology upgrade for Sexual Assault Help Line.
  • A boost of $19.4 million will support Victoria’s women’s health services (including WHIN) to continue their vital work in promoting the health and wellbeing of women and preventing family and gendered violence.

Funding for the From Homelessness to a Home (H2H) program has been reduced by $43 million annually, 78% of its earlier budget.

(Source: Premier’s Media release, 3.5.22; Safe and Equal member update, 4.5.22; Homelessness Network Coordinator – Northern Region email, 4.5.22)