Royal Commission into Family Violence
- Recommendations reproduced
- 227
- Established
- Report length
- 116 pages
Summary
The report's own summary: Summary, pages 9 to 24
Generated summary: written by an AI model from the report text and checked against the cited pages.
Victoria’s Royal Commission into Family Violence was asked to identify effective prevention, early intervention, victim support, perpetrator accountability and coordinated responses.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 9
It examined the response across police, courts, support services, child protection and other government and community services.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 9 · Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 14
The Commission concluded that services were overwhelmed, responses were poorly coordinated, information sharing was inadequate and too little effort went into prevention and recovery.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 14
Its 227 numbered recommendations seek stronger risk assessment and information sharing, better services and accountability, and sustained investment in prevention and response.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 22 · Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 53 · Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 54 · Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 114
In the body's own words
- Conclusion
Services are not currently equipped to meet this high level of demand, which undermines the safety of those experiencing family violence and their potential for recovery.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 14
- Conclusion
Victims are too often left to carry the burden of managing risk.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 14
Recommendations 227
A commission's findings and recommendations are not findings of criminal or civil liability.
Only some of the recommendations are reproduced here, from the official copies OPAX could read.
227 recommendations have a status published by government, shown in the government's own words.
- Implemented 227
Recommendation 1
The Victorian Government review and begin implementing the revised Family Violence Risk Assessment and Risk Management Framework (known as the Common Risk Assessment Framework, or the CRAF) [by 31 December 2017] in order to deliver a comprehensive framework that sets minimum standards and roles and responsibilities for screening, risk assessment, risk management, information sharing and referral throughout Victorian agencies. The revised framework should incorporate: a rating and/or weighting of risk factors to identify the risk of family violence as low, medium or high evidence-based risk indicators that are specific to children comprehensive practice guidance. The framework should also reflect the needs of the diverse range of family violence victims and perpetrators, among them older people, people with disabilities, and people from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, culturally and linguistically diverse and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex communities.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 53
Government-published status Implemented
Victorian Government, Review and begin implementing the Common Risk Assessment Framework, status
Recommendation 2
The Victorian Government amend the Family Violence Protection Act 2008 (Vic) [within 12 months] so that it: empowers the relevant minister or secretary to approve a Family Violence Risk Assessment and Risk Management Framework (and roles and responsibilities, standards and practices under it) for family violence risk assessment in Victoria sets out the principle that ‘prescribed organisations’ and agencies contracted by the Victorian Government to provide family violence services (if not otherwise prescribed organisations) are required to align their risk assessment policies, procedures, practices and tools with the Family Violence Risk Assessment and Risk Management Framework as approved by the relevant minister or secretary.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 53
Government-published status Implemented
Victorian Government, Amend the Family Violence Protection Act 2008 (Vic), status
Recommendation 3
The Victorian Government implement the revised Family Violence Risk Assessment and Risk Management Framework and develop a sustained workforce development and training strategy as part of the recommended family violence industry plan [from 1 January 2018]. The framework should provide for: minimum standards and core competencies to guide identifying, risk assessment and risk management practice in family violence specialist services, mainstream services and universal services whole-of-workforce training for priority sectors—including general practitioners and hospital, mental health, drug and alcohol, child protection, aged care and disability workers—that takes into account and aligns with their roles and standards of practice.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 54
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 4
The Victorian Government facilitate the roll-out of the Risk Assessment and Management Panels, or RAMPs, as a priority [within 12 months], ensuring that this includes: adequate resourcing and support—case management and links to long-term support standardised referral guidance, to be used by all agencies, that is aligned to the revised Family Violence Risk Assessment and Risk Management Framework to identify high-risk cases for referral to RAMPs organisational and practice guidelines for effective RAMP operation, supported by a targeted workforce development and training program processes for supporting oversight by Regional Family Violence Integration Committees implementation oversight by the Cabinet Family Violence Sub-committee and the Victorian Secretaries Board Family Violence Sub-committee.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 54
Government-published status Implemented
Victorian Government, Facilitate the roll-out of the Risk Assessment and Management Panels, status
Recommendation 5
The Victorian Government amend the Family Violence Protection Act 2008 (Vic) to create a specific family violence information-sharing regime [within 12 months]. The new regime should be consistent with the guiding principles and design elements described in this report.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 54
Government-published status Implemented
Victorian Government, Create a family violence information-sharing regime, status
Recommendation 6
The Victorian Secretaries Board Family Violence Sub-committee oversee a working group consisting of representatives of ‘prescribed organisations’ covered by the recommended information-sharing regime and the Office of the Privacy and Data Protection Commissioner [within 12 months of the legislative amendments]. The working group should: identify priority areas for the development of an information-sharing culture throughout the family violence system develop an awareness campaign to explain the new information-sharing regime to prescribed organisations coordinate the production of any guidelines or guidance material created to support the new information-sharing regime and help prescribed organisations put their information-sharing arrangements into operation help prescribed organisations update information-sharing protocols and memorandums of understanding and deliver internal training on information sharing.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 55
Government-published status Implemented
Victorian Government, A working group to support operation of the information-sharing, status
Recommendation 7
The Victorian Government establish a secure Central Information Point. Led by Victoria Police, it should consist of a co-located multi-disciplinary team with representatives from Victoria Police, the courts (registry staff), the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Justice and Regulation (Corrections Victoria) who are authorised to obtain information from their respective databases [by 1 July 2018]. A summary of this information should be available to the Risk Assessment and Management Panels, the recommended Support and Safety Hubs, the 24-hour crisis telephone service Safe Steps and the Men’s Referral Service to permit effective assessment and management of risk in individual cases.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 55
Government-published status Implemented
Victorian Government, Establish a secure Central Information Point, status
Recommendation 8
The Victorian Secretaries Board ensure that proposed upgrades to key Magistrates’ Court of Victoria, Victoria Police, Corrections Victoria and Department of Health and Human Services information technology systems equip these systems [by 1 July 2018] to: share information for the purposes of risk assessment and management in individual cases of family violence permit the use of system data for the purpose of evaluating the effectiveness of outcomes from implementation of the Commission’s recommendations and the recommended Statewide Family Violence Action Plan participate in the Central Information Point.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 55
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 9
The Victorian Government examine options for the development of a single case-management data system to enable relevant agencies to view and share risk information in real time [within 12 months].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 56
Government-published status Implemented
Victorian Government, Examine options for a single case-management data system, status
Recommendation 10
The Victorian Government expand an existing website or create a new website [within two years], to provide information for: victims of all forms of family violence—including victims who face particular barriers to obtaining help—about where and how they can seek help families, friends and community networks, to help them recognise family violence, support victims and support perpetrators who are seeking help to change their behaviour. This information should relate to both help during the crisis period and recovery in the longer term.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 56
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 11
The Victorian Government provide additional funding for specialist family violence support services to deal with the current crisis in demand and to ensure that victims of family violence receive appropriate support [within 12 months].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 56
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 12
Pending the establishment of the recommended Support and Safety Hubs, the Victorian Government expand funding for after-hours responses—including the capacity to activate a face-to-face crisis response when required—in each of the 17 Department of Health and Human Services regions [within 12 months].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 56
Government-published status Implemented
Victorian Government, Expand funding for after-hours responses, status
Recommendation 13
The Victorian Government give priority to supporting victims in safely remaining in, or returning to, their own homes and communities through the expansion of Safe at Home–type programs across Victoria [within two years]. These programs should incorporate rental and mortgage subsidies and any benefits offered by advances in safety devices, with suitable case management as well as monitoring of perpetrators by police and the justice system.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 57
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 14
The Victorian Government increase the number and range of crisis and emergency accommodation that is available by using a wider range of service models—including head leasing of premises— with priority being given to rural, regional and remote areas [within 12 months].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 57
Government-published status Implemented
Victorian Government, Increase the number and range of crisis and emergency accommodation, status
Recommendation 15
The Victorian Government support service providers in phasing out the communal refuge model [by 31 December 2020] and replacing it with accommodation that promotes safety, is accessible to people with disabilities, provides private units and enables connections with the community, work and school (core and cluster model). To facilitate the transition, the Victorian Government should provide a capital fund to assist service providers with business case development, design options and implementation (including construction of redesigned accommodation) and fund interim arrangements to avoid loss in service delivery during refurbishment or redevelopment.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 57
Government-published status Implemented
Victorian Government, Support service providers to phase out the communal refuge model, status
Recommendation 16
The Department of Health and Human Services review the contractual arrangements (including funding levels) for crisis supported accommodation to remove barriers for particular groups, such as women with no income and women and children with disabilities [within 12 months].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 57
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 17
The Victorian Government expand the provision of Family Violence Flexible Support Packages [within 12 months]. These packages should provide to victims assistance beyond the crisis period and should include longer term rental and mortgage subsidies where required, along with assistance for costs associated with securing and maintaining counselling, wellbeing, education, employment, financial counselling and other services designed to assist housing stability and financial security.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 58
Government-published status Implemented
Victorian Government, Expand the provision of Family Violence Flexible Support Packages, status
Recommendation 18
The Victorian Government give priority to removing current blockages in refuge and crisis accommodation and transitional housing, so that victims of family violence can gain stable housing as quickly as possible and with a minimum number of relocations, are not accommodated in motels and other ad hoc accommodation, and spend on average no longer than six weeks in refuge and crisis accommodation [within two years].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 58
Government-published status Implemented
Victorian Government, Give priority to victims gaining stable housing as quickly as possible, status
Recommendation 19
The Victorian Government establish a Family Violence Housing Assistance Implementation Task Force consisting of senior representatives from the public and commercial housing sectors and family violence specialists [within 12 months]. The task force, which should report through the Minister for Housing to the Cabinet Family Violence Sub-committee, should: oversee a process designed to remove blockages in access to family violence crisis accommodation by rapidly rehousing family violence victims living in crisis and transitional accommodation design, oversee and monitor the first 18-month phase of the proposed expanded Family Violence Flexible Support Packages (including rental subsidies) quantify the number of additional social housing units required for family violence victims who are unable to gain access to and sustain private rental accommodation subject to evaluation of the proposed expanded Family Violence Flexible Support Packages, plan for the statewide roll-out of the packages (including rental subsidies) and the social housing required.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 58
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 20
The Victorian Minister for Housing, Disability and Ageing report annually to the Parliamentary Committee on Family Violence [within two years] on: the extent of unmet housing demand among people affected by family violence— including the average and range of current stays by women and children in crisis and transitional accommodation progress in meeting the benchmark of six weeks in crisis accommodation proposed actions for meeting the continuing housing demand from people affected by family violence.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 58
Government-published status Implemented
Victorian Government, Annual reporting on the demand for housing and crisis accommodation, status
Recommendation 21
The Victorian Government ensure that all refuge and crisis accommodation services catering to families have adequate resources to meet the particular needs of the children they are accommodating, including access to expert advice and secondary consultations in supporting children [within 12 months].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 59
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 22
The Victorian Government amend the Family Violence Protection Act 2008 (Vic) to establish a rebuttable presumption that, if an applicant for a family violence intervention order has a child who has experienced family violence, that child should be included in the applicant’s family violence intervention order or protected by their own order [within 12 months].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 59
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 23
The Victorian Government give priority to funding therapeutic interventions and counselling— including age-appropriate group work—for children and young people who are victims of family violence [within two years]. In particular: The Homeless Children’s Specialist Support Service (or a program with similar features) should be extended beyond four service areas to be available statewide and be available to specialist family violence services. Eligibility for the Take Two program and similar intensive therapeutic programs should be introduced for children and young people affected by trauma associated with family violence who are not in the statutory child protection system.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 59
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 24
The Victorian Government support and fund youth homelessness and other youth services providers in developing and implementing a broader range of supported accommodation options for young people experiencing family violence [within two years].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 59
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 25
The Department of Health and Human Services, together with Victoria Police, develop and strengthen its current practice guidelines to facilitate further engagement with perpetrators of family violence [within 12 months] with the aim of: exhausting all efforts to interview the alleged perpetrator of the violence protecting the safety of child protection practitioners who must work with alleged perpetrators of family violence developing ‘feedback loops’ with Victoria Police and other relevant agencies—including the recommended Support and Safety Hubs, once established—in order to obtain and share information about family violence perpetrators and so assist with risk assessment and risk management.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 60
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 26
The Department of Health and Human Services develop and strengthen practice guidelines and if necessary propose legislative amendments to require Child Protection—in cases where family violence is indicated in reports to Child Protection and is investigated but the statutory threshold for protective intervention is not met—[within 12 months] to: ensure the preparation of a comprehensive and robust safety plan, either by Child Protection or by a specialist family violence service make formal referrals for families to relevant services—including specialist family violence services, family and child services, perpetrator interventions, and the recommended Support and Safety Hubs, once established make formal referrals for children and young people to specialist services—including counselling services—if children or young people are affected by family violence or use violence.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 60
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 27
The Department of Health and Human Services revise and strengthen its risk management practice guidelines and procedures for circumstances when a report to Child Protection has indicated the presence of family violence [within 12 months]. Practice and procedural guidelines should be updated to require the child protection practitioner to: without delay, obtain from Victoria Police and any specialist family violence service all police referrals (L17 forms) and the results of any risk assessments that have been performed in relation to the child who is the subject of the report and their parents or other relevant family members ensure that the full text of any risk assessment is recorded in the Child Protection Service’s Crisis Referral Information System notes without delay, provide to Victoria Police the results of any risk assessment completed by the department that indicates a risk of family violence to a child or young person, so as to support Victoria Police in bringing an application for a family violence intervention order in the Magistrates’ Court of Victoria. The department should ask that police provide feedback on whether an application to the court has been made.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 61
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 28
Pending finalisation of the recommended information-sharing regime, the Department of Health and Human Services liaise with the Magistrates’ Court of Victoria to develop an information-sharing protocol to ensure that, when a parent seeks a new or amended family violence intervention order or Family Law Act 1975 (Cth) order in the Magistrates’ Court of Victoria, information held by the department in relation to family violence risk is provided to the court [within 12 months]. Where necessary, a child protection practitioner should be made available to give evidence.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 61
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 29
The Department of Health and Human Services require child protection practitioners to participate in training and professional development about the nature and dynamics of family violence and the department’s practice guidelines dealing with family violence.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 61
Government-published status Implemented
Victorian Government, Child protection practitioners participate in family violence training, status
Recommendation 30
The Victorian Government amend section 327 of the Crimes Act 1958 (Vic) to require the Director of Public Prosecutions to approve a prosecution for the offence in cases where the alleged offender is a victim of family violence and consider legislative amendments to reconcile section 327 of the Crimes Act and section 493 of the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005 (Vic) [within 12 months].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 61
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 31
The Victorian Government ensure funding of specialist family violence and sexual assault services to facilitate their collaboration [within two years] by: promoting and, if necessary, resourcing shared casework models establishing secondary consultation pathways participating in the recommended Support and Safety Hubs developing guidelines and protocols for facilitating information sharing participating in joint education and training.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 62
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 32
The Victorian Government review [within five years] family violence and sexual assault services to determine whether and, if so, how family violence and sexual assault responses should be unified.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 62
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 33
The Victorian Government ensure that the Sexually Abusive Behaviours Treatment Service and other suitable treatment programs are available for all age groups up to and including 17-year-olds and resource enhanced delivery of the programs across Victoria [within two years].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 62
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 34
The Victorian Government amend the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005 (Vic) to extend the therapeutic treatment order regime to young people aged 15 to 17 years, so that the Children’s Court of Victoria can order attendance at appropriate programs [within two years].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 62
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 35
Pending the establishment of the recommended Support and Safety Hubs, the Victorian Government provide additional resources to ensure that the costs of processing and responding to police referrals (L17 forms) received by women’s specialist family violence service L17 referral points are fully and discretely funded [within 12 months].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 63
Government-published status Implemented
Victorian Government, Additional resources for processing and responding to police referrals, status
Recommendation 36
Pending the establishment of the recommended Support and Safety Hubs, the Victorian Government ensure that Integrated Family Services has sufficient resources to respond to families experiencing family violence [within 12 months].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 63
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 37
The Victorian Government introduce Support and Safety Hubs in each of the state’s 17 Department of Health and Human Services regions [by 1 July 2018]. These hubs should be accessible and safe locations that: receive police referrals (L17 forms) for victims and perpetrators, referrals from non–family violence services and self-referrals, including from family and friends provide a single, area-based entry point into local specialist family violence services, perpetrator programs and Integrated Family Services and link people to other support services perform risk and needs assessments and safety planning using information provided by the recommended statewide Central Information Point provide prompt access to the local Risk Assessment and Management Panel provide direct assistance until the victim, perpetrator and any children are linked with services for longer term support book victims into emergency accommodation and facilitate their placement in crisis accommodation provide secondary consultation services to universal or non–family violence services offer a basis for co-location of other services likely to be required by victims and any children.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 63
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 38
The Victorian Government, in establishing the Support and Safety Hubs, provide additional funding [within three years] to allow for: co-design of the hubs with local providers appropriate infrastructure, including technology establishment of integrated intake teams with expertise in family violence, family and children’s services, and perpetrator assessment appointment of an advanced family violence practitioner to provide practice leadership and secondary consultation capacity to activate an after-hours face-to-face crisis response where required provision of secondary consultation by other specialist organisations, including Aboriginal community controlled organisations, to the intake team.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 64
Government-published status Implemented
Victorian Government, Provide additional funding to assist the Support and Safety Hubs, status
Recommendation 39
The Victorian Government, on the basis of demand forecasting, provide sufficient funds to specialist family violence services and Integrated Family Services to allow them to support people referred by a Support and Safety Hub, maintain their safety and help them until their situation has stabilised and they have the support necessary to rebuild and recover from family violence [by 1 July 2018].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 64
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 40
The Victorian Government revise relevant policy frameworks and service standards in the light of the new Support and Safety Hubs and the redesigned service system. This includes revising standards for family violence service providers (including men’s behaviour change programs) and key health and human services that respond to family violence, as well as the Victoria Police Code of Practice for the Investigation of Family Violence [by 1 July 2018].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 64
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 41
Victoria Police amend the Victoria Police Code of Practice for the Investigation of Family Violence to ensure that it provides suitable guidance on identifying family violence primary aggressors [within 12 months]. This includes: procedures for amending the Law Enforcement Assistance Program (LEAP) when a service provider or a Support and Safety Hub subsequently informs Victoria Police that a person is not the primary aggressor provision of details of specialist support available to assist in identifying the primary aggressor. Victoria Police should provide training at all appropriate levels on the amended requirements relating to identifying primary aggressors.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 65
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 42
Victoria Police establish a Family Violence Centre of Learning with external academic governance to improve family violence education at all levels in the organisation [within two years].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 65
Government-published status Implemented
Victorian Government, Victoria Police establish a Family Violence Centre of Learning, status
Recommendation 43
Victoria Police ensure that specialist family violence position holders perform regular random file and case reviews in order to monitor compliance with the Victoria Police Code of Practice for the Investigation of Family Violence and other important procedural requirements relating to family violence—for example, in relation to investigations of contraventions of family violence intervention orders. Victoria Police should set timing targets for these file and case reviews [within 12 months].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 65
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 44
The Victorian Government and Victoria Police establish a regular cycle of comprehensive and independent audits of Victoria Police’s compliance with the Victoria Police Code of Practice for the Investigation of Family Violence. The results of the audits should be published, and include, among other things, any divisional variation and the measures that will be taken to resolve any concerns.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 65
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 45
Victoria Police’s Professional Standards Command review Victoria Police policies and procedures relating to police employees and family violence [within 12 months]. The review should consider: the adequacy of and any necessary improvements to current policies and procedures best-practice approaches and model policies developed in other Australian jurisdictions and internationally potential synergies with Victoria Police’s response to the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission’s independent review of sex discrimination and sexual harassment in Victoria Police.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 66
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 46
Victoria Police revise its Violence Against Women and Children Strategy and amend it to cover all forms of family violence, a diverse range of victims and all areas of operations and governance [within 12 months].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 66
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 47
Victoria Police develop a new family violence performance management and reporting framework, with a broader range of quantitative and qualitative performance measures [within 12 months] against which it reports annually and publicly, on a statewide, regional and divisional basis.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 66
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 48
Victoria Police’s Family Violence Command set performance measures for policing of family violence at regional levels, taking into account demand for family violence policing at police service area and divisional levels. Regional assistant commissioners should report to the Chief Commissioner of Police and Executive Command through the Family Violence Command against these performance measures [within 12 months].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 66
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 49
Victoria Police adapt its career structures to reflect family violence as core business [within two years] by: providing an organisational structure for specialist family violence positions providing a clear career progression path for members who have a continuing interest in family violence policing—including through gazetting additional positions having positions with appropriate ranks to represent family violence policing in key operational and strategic management forums and processes ensuring that resourcing models and processes enable police in specialist family violence roles to perform their functions considering involving non-sworn employees with relevant skills in incident response recruiting personnel from a broader range of disciplines—such as social work, psychology or specialist family violence services.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 67
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 50
Victoria Police’s Family Violence Command develop a core set of functions to be delivered by all family violence teams in Victoria. This should form the operating model for resourcing decisions from 1 July 2017. Thereafter, Victoria Police should move towards a centralised model of resource allocation for family violence, placing family violence on a footing similar to that of road policing.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 67
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 51
Victoria Police’s Family Violence Command evaluate current localised models for family violence teams and from 1 July 2017 roll out preferable operating models in areas with similar family violence incident patterns.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 67
Government-published status Implemented
Victorian Government, Evaluate current localised models for family violence teams, status
Recommendation 52
Victoria Police develop a model to strengthen the investigation of family violence offences and focus additional specialist investigative and intelligence resources on serious family violence offending [within 12 months]. Victoria Police should develop performance measures for the revised approach, against which it reports annually and publicly. To improve the investigation of family violence, Victoria Police should: embed investigators in family violence teams where appropriate ensure that investigation and response teams take on or actively oversee investigations give tactical and divisional intelligence support to family violence teams give family violence team members access to the field investigator’s course equip first responders with technology that will facilitate timely on-site evidence capture ensure that family violence advisors are involved with divisional tasking and coordination committees and that advisors are of an appropriate rank to participate effectively.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 68
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 53
The Chief Commissioner of Police report in the Victoria Police annual report on the revised model(s) for and progress in strengthening the investigation of family violence offences.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 68
Government-published status Implemented
Victorian Government, The Chief Commissioner of Police report annually on family violence, status
Recommendation 54
The Victorian Government and Victoria Police deploy mobile technology for police members, including capability to use the Law Enforcement Assistance Program (LEAP), complete and despatch police referrals (L17 forms), take victim and witness statements, and process and issue family violence safety notices in the field—recognising that this is contingent on the adequacy of Victoria Police’s broader IT environment [within three years].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 68
Government-published status Implemented
Victorian Government, Deploy mobile technology for police members, status
Recommendation 55
In order to improve the supervision of the service of family violence intervention orders, Victoria Police [within 12 months]: amend the Victoria Police Manual and Code of Practice for the Investigation of Family Violence to provide clearer guidance on and increased supervision of service of family violence intervention orders establish procedures for giving priority to the service of family violence intervention orders on high-risk perpetrators or those suspected of avoiding service—including tasking family violence teams to effect service or seeking relevant court orders, or both provide training at all appropriate levels on the amended requirements relating to service of orders regularly and publicly report on performance in the service of family violence intervention orders.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 68
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 56
The Victorian Government—working with Victoria Police, the courts and other relevant stakeholders—trial and evaluate the use of agencies or service providers other than Victoria Police and court registrars to effect personal service of applications for family violence intervention orders [within two years].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 69
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 57
The Victorian Government amend the Family Violence Protection Act 2008 (Vic) to extend the ability of the Magistrates’ Court of Victoria and the Children’s Court of Victoria to order service of applications for family violence intervention orders and orders in the first instance other than by personal service, if the court is satisfied that alternative service: is likely to be effective will not result in an unacceptable risk to the safety of the protected person or any other person is, in all the circumstances, appropriate [within 12 months].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 69
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 58
Victoria Police conduct a trial in two divisions of the use of body-worn cameras to collect statements and other evidence from family violence incident scenes [within 12 months]. The trial should be supported by any necessary legislative amendment to ensure the admissibility of evidence collected in criminal and civil proceedings. It should also be subject to a legislative sunset period, evaluation and the use of any evidence only with the victim’s consent.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 69
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 59
The Victorian Government consider [after five years] whether Victoria Police should be given the power to issue family violence intervention orders in the field, subject to the recommended Statewide Family Violence Advisory Committee and Family Violence Agency advising that Victoria Police has made significant improvements to its response to family violence, taking into account the Commission’s recommendations.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 69
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 60
The Victorian Government ensure that all Magistrates’ Court of Victoria headquarter courts and specialist family violence courts have the functions of Family Violence Court Division courts [within two years]. These courts should therefore have: specialist magistrates, registrars, applicant and respondent workers to assist parties in applications for family violence intervention orders and any subsequent contravention proceedings dedicated police prosecutors and civil advocates facilities for access to specialist family violence service providers and legal representation for applicants and respondents power to make counselling orders under Part 5 of the Family Violence Protection Act 2008 (Vic) remote witness facilities for applicants the jurisdictional powers of the Family Violence Court Division under section 4I of the Magistrates’ Court Act 1989 (Vic), including the power to make parenting and property orders under the Family Law Act 1975 (Cth).
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 70
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 61
The Victorian Government legislate to ensure that, subject to exceptional circumstances and the interests of the parties, all family violence matters are heard and determined in specialist family violence courts [within five years].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 70
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 62
The Victorian Government enact legislation and take other steps as necessary to support the capacity of the Magistrates’ Court of Victoria (and, where relevant, the Children’s Court of Victoria) to grant family violence intervention orders speedily and with due regard to the interests of justice and the safety of affected family members. The Victorian Government consider [within two years]: transferring some of the jurisdiction of the Magistrates’ Court of Victoria to another forum— for example, fines and traffic infringements expanding the range of matters that can be determined on the papers—that is, without an in-person hearing funding the appointment of a greater number of judicial registrars to deal with certain matters or classes of matters. The Magistrates’ Court of Victoria (and, where relevant, the Children’s Court of Victoria) consider whether the caseload of magistrates could be better managed [within two years] by: re-assigning some family violence intervention order applications currently heard at the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court to the Neighbourhood Justice Centre delegating authority to judicial registrars to deal with certain matters or classes of matters under the Family Violence Protection Act 2008 (Vic)—for example, allowing them to grant adjournments or make interim orders and/or substituted service orders. The Victorian Government should take any necessary action to implement these recommendations if the Magistrates’ Court of Victoria advises this is desirable.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 71
Government-published status Implemented
Victorian Government, Family violence intervention orders are granted speedily and safely, status
Recommendation 63
The Magistrates’ Court of Victoria (and the Children’s Court of Victoria) consider establishing an ‘e-registry’ as a central online file-management portal and an offsite contact centre for managing registry-related queries [within five years].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 71
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 64
The Magistrates’ Court of Victoria staff hold a daily coordination meeting before hearings begin in a family violence list [within 12 months]. The purpose of the meeting would be to give priority to high-risk cases, ensure that interpreters are available, liaise with legal representatives to manage conflicts, and liaise with applicant and respondent support workers.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 71
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 65
The Magistrates’ Court of Victoria develop and implement a process [within two years] of equipping court staff to actively manage the family violence list, having regard to risk assessment and management factors, and provide to magistrates the information the Commission recommends in this report.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 72
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 66
Victoria Police ensure that before applying for a family violence intervention order the relevant magistrate receives an affidavit (prepared by the police prosecutor or civil advocate) [by 31 December 2017] specifying: any previous family violence intervention orders relevant to the affected family member and respondent whether the respondent is on bail for any offence and the conditions of any such bail whether any previous family violence intervention orders have been breached whether there are previous or forthcoming criminal proceedings, and the status of any such proceedings whether there have been previous family violence incident reports (L17 forms) relating to the same parties relevant risk factors relating to the current incident—including a status update on any risk factors described in the L17 relating to the application the family violence intervention orders sought by police and whether the affected family member consents to those orders. A Victoria Police representative—for example, the police prosecutor, a civil advocate or the family violence court liaison officer—should discuss the particulars of the affidavit with the affected family member before the hearing.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 72
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 67
The Magistrates’ Court of Victoria registry, in all police-initiated applications for family violence intervention orders, provide to the magistrate a summary indicating the status of any related proceedings in the Children’s Court of Victoria (or vice-versa), the Family Court of Australia and/or the Federal Circuit Court of Australia. If information is not available from other jurisdictions, this should be stated. In non-police initiated family violence intervention orders, the Magistrates’ Court registry should also provide the information recommended to be provided by Victoria Police in an application initiated by it. The Magistrates’ Court registry should also adopt a practice of providing risk assessments made by applicant and respondent support workers to magistrates as a matter of course [by 31 December 2017].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 72
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 68
The Magistrates’ Court of Victoria consider for each court [within 12 months]: capping lists of family violence matters at a level that allows magistrates sufficient time to hear each matter staggering family violence lists to provide greater guidance to parties as to when cases will be heard increasing the number of days dedicated to listing family violence matters introducing benchmarks for the maximum amount of time parties should wait for a listed family violence matter to be heard.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 73
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 69
The Victorian Government, through the Council of Australian Governments Law, Crime and Community Safety Council, pursue the expansion of resourcing for legal services, including Victoria Legal Aid and community legal centres, to resolve the current under-representation by and over-burdening of duty lawyer services in family violence matters [within 12 months].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 73
Government-published status Implemented
Victorian Government, Expand resourcing for legal services in family violence matters, status
Recommendation 70
The Victorian Government fund and complete works to ensure all Magistrates’ Court of Victoria headquarter courts [within five years]: provide safe waiting areas and rooms for co-located service providers provide accessibility for people with disabilities provide proper security staffing and equipment provide separate entry and exit points for applicants and respondents provide private interview rooms for use by registrars and service providers provide remote witness facilities, to allow witnesses to give evidence off site and from court-based interview rooms provide adequate facilities for children and ensure that courts are ‘child-friendly’ use multi-lingual and multi-format signage use pre-existing local facilities and structures to accommodate proceedings or associated aspects of court business—for example, for use as safe waiting areas. Prior to all family violence matters being heard and determined in specialist family violence courts, the Victorian Government should fund and complete works to ensure that those magistrates’ courts (and children’s courts) that deal with a high volume of family violence–related matters have similar capacity.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 73
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 71
The Victorian Government amend section 69 of the Family Violence Protection Act 2008 (Vic) and section 363 of the Criminal Procedure Act 2009 (Vic) [within three years] to provide that the court must permit a family violence victim to give evidence from a place other than the courtroom by means of remote technology that enables communication with the courtroom, unless the victim wishes to give evidence from the courtroom.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 74
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 72
The Victorian Government consider legislative amendments to permit the use of video- and audio-recorded evidence in family violence–related criminal proceedings involving either adults or children [within 12 months].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 74
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 73
The Magistrates’ Court of Victoria (and the Children’s Court of Victoria) produce multimedia information about the family violence intervention order process that can not only be viewed online but can also be shown in court waiting areas to complement the development of ‘plain language’ family violence intervention order forms and simplified order conditions [within 12 months].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 74
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 74
The Magistrates’ Court of Victoria roll out an online application form (based on the Neighbourhood Justice Centre’s online application form) for all applicants for a family violence intervention order across Victoria [within two years].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 74
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 75
The Victorian Government legislate to permit the County Court of Victoria to strike out an appeal in circumstances where the appellant does not appear at a pre-appeal mention, is served with notice that the appeal will be struck out if the appellant does not attend the next mention date, and the appellant does not attend the next mention date [within 12 months].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 74
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 76
The Victorian Government amend section 31 of the Family Violence Protection Act 2008 (Vic) to stipulate that the first mention date for a family violence safety notice must be no later than 14 days after the notice, or form of notice, is served [within 12 months].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 75
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 77
The Department of Justice and Regulation convene a committee, including representatives of the Magistrates’ Court of Victoria, Victoria Legal Aid and Women’s Legal Service Victoria, to investigate how family violence intervention orders by consent are currently negotiated and develop a safe, supported negotiation process for victims [within three years].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 75
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 78
The Victorian Government repeal the unproclaimed provisions of the Family Violence Protection Amendment Act 2014 (Vic) providing for interim family violence intervention orders with an automatic finalisation condition (self-executing orders) [within 12 months].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 75
Government-published status Implemented
Victorian Government, Provide for self-executing interim family violence intervention orders, status
Recommendation 79
The Victorian Government legislate to empower courts to make interim family violence intervention orders on their own motion at any point during criminal processes—including bail proceedings and sentencing [within 12 months].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 75
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 80
The Victorian Government [within 12 months] take the following action: encourage bail decision makers to seek, and prosecutors to provide, information on relevant risks of family violence in relation to a bail application whether by amendment to the Bail Act 1977 (Vic) or by other means, provide that before setting or amending bail conditions, a bail decision maker must take into account: whether there is a family violence safety notice or family violence intervention order in place. If so, the decision maker should ensure that the bail conditions are compatible with the notice or order conditions, unless to do so would pose a risk to the victim and/or protected person in matters relating to family violence, whether there is a risk of family violence that could be managed by appropriate bail conditions or a family violence intervention order, or both add an avoidance of doubt provision in section 4 of the Bail Act to state that an unacceptable risk of committing an offence or endangering the safety or welfare of the public may include an unacceptable risk of perpetrating family violence whilst on bail enact legislation to ensure that, if a warrant for the arrest of an accused is issued, bail conditions continue to operate until the arrest warrant is executed and the person is brought before the court.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 76
Government-published status Implemented
Victorian Government, Review and amend bail processes in family violence matters, status
Recommendation 81
The Victorian Government ensure that offences committed in the context of family violence are appropriately ‘flagged’ [within two years]—for example, by: enhancing current links between Victoria Police’s, courts’ and Corrections Victoria’s databases amending the Family Violence Protection Act 2008 (Vic) to deem criminal offences committed in the context of family violence to be ‘family violence offences’ for the purposes of being recorded in relevant databases.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 76
Government-published status Implemented
Victorian Government, Ensure family violence offences are appropriately 'flagged', status
Recommendation 82
The Victorian Government review section 125A of the Family Violence Protection Act 2008 (Vic) to determine whether the 28-day period within which contravention relating to the same person must occur to establish this offence should be extended [within 12 months].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 76
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 83
The Sentencing Advisory Council report on the desirability of and methods for accommodating ‘swift and certain justice’ approaches to family violence offenders in Victoria’s sentencing regime [within 12 months].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 76
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 84
The Director of Public Prosecutions consider identifying a suitable case in which to seek a guideline judgment from the Court of Appeal on sentencing for family violence offences [within two years].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 77
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 85
The Victorian Government [within 12 months]: map the roles and responsibilities of all government and non-government agencies and service providers that have contact with perpetrators of family violence confirm the principles that should inform the programs, services and initiatives required to respond to perpetrators of family violence who pose a high, medium or low risk to victims.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 77
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 86
The Victorian Government convene a committee of experts on perpetrator interventions and behaviour change programs [within 12 months] to advise the government on the spectrum of programs, services and initiatives that should be available in Victoria—in the justice system and in the community—to respond to all perpetrators across varying forms and risk levels of family violence. The committee should consider men’s behaviour change programs, clinical models such as cognitive behaviour therapy, strengths-based programs and fathering-specific models, online programs, and services for perpetrators from diverse communities. The expert advisory committee should consist of members with expertise in a variety of disciplines and practice approaches and with experience in working directly with perpetrators and victims of family violence, including those from diverse communities.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 77
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 87
The Victorian Government, subject to advice from the recommended expert advisory committee and relevant ANROWS (Australia’s National Organisation for Women’s Safety) research, trial and evaluate interventions for perpetrators [within three years] that: provide individual case management where required deliver programs to perpetrators from diverse communities and to those with complex needs focus on helping perpetrators understand the effects of violence on their children and to become better fathers adopt practice models that build coordinated interventions, including cross-sector workforce development between the men’s behaviour change, mental health, drug and alcohol and forensic sectors.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 78
Government-published status Implemented
Victorian Government, Research, trial and evaluate interventions for perpetrators, status
Recommendation 88
The Victorian Government provide dedicated funding for future perpetrator programs. These should include evaluation studies to establish longer term effectiveness and assist in improving program design in the long term [within three years].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 78
Government-published status Implemented
Victorian Government, Provide dedicated funding for future perpetrator programs, status
Recommendation 89
The Secretary of the Department of Justice and Regulation approve a broader range of service providers to provide counselling services to perpetrators who are subject to a counselling order issued by the Magistrates’ Court of Victoria under section 130 of the Family Violence Protection Act 2008 (Vic). Such service providers should have expertise in the interplay between family violence and drug and alcohol misuse or mental illness, provided the purpose of the counselling remains within the scope of the statutory objectives of Part 5 of the Act [within three years].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 78
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 90
The Victorian Government, working with the courts and providers of men’s behaviour change programs, establish an improved process for monitoring the attendance of perpetrators who are ordered to participate in behaviour change programs and the outcomes of their participation in those programs [within 12 months].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 78
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 91
The Victorian Government, in consultation with No To Violence [within 12 months]: review and update the Men’s Behaviour Change Programs Minimum Standards to reflect research findings, national and international best practice, and the central importance of partner contact work develop a compliance framework, incorporating an accreditation process, for providers of men’s behaviour change programs.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 79
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 92
The Victorian Government ensure that, pending the implementation of an expanded range of perpetrator interventions, funding for men’s behaviour change programs is sufficient to meet demand from those required to attend under a counselling order issued under Part 5 of the Family Violence Protection Act 2008 (Vic) and those who volunteer to attend such programs [within 12 months].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 79
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 93
The Victorian Government ensure that the terms of reference of the current review of the Liquor Control Reform Act 1998 (Vic) consider family violence and alcohol-related harms. The review should involve consultation with people who have expertise in the inter-relationship between family violence and alcohol use.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 79
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 94
The Victorian Government amend section 26 of the Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008 (Vic)— which requires that councils prepare a municipal public health and wellbeing plan—to require councils to report on the measures the council proposes to take to reduce family violence and respond to the needs of victims. Alternatively, the Victorian Government could amend section 125 of the Local Government Act 1989 (Vic)—which requires each council to prepare a council plan—to require councils to include these measures in their council plan (rather than their health and wellbeing plans) [within 12 months].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 79
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 95
The Victorian Government resource public hospitals to implement a whole-of-hospital model for responding to family violence, drawing on evaluated approaches in Victoria and elsewhere [within three to five years].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 80
Government-published status Implemented
Victorian Government, Implement a whole-of-hospital model for responding to family violence, status
Recommendation 96
The Department of Health and Human Services require routine screening for family violence in all public antenatal settings. The screening guidance should be aligned with the revised Family Violence Risk Assessment and Risk Management Framework. Implementation will require targeted and continued training, the development of specific guidelines, and clinical support [by 31 December 2017].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 80
Government-published status Implemented
Victorian Government, Routine screening for family violence in all public antenatal settings, status
Recommendation 97
The Chief Psychiatrist issue a guideline relating to family violence—including that family violence risk should be assessed when considering discharging or transferring care of a person receiving mental health services and when consulting with families or carers in relation to treatment planning [within two years].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 80
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 98
The Victorian Government fund the establishment of specialist family violence advisor positions to be located in major mental health and drug and alcohol services. The advisors’ expertise should be available to practitioners in these sectors across Victoria [within 12 months].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 80
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 99
The Victorian Government encourage and facilitate mental health, drug and alcohol and family violence services to collaborate [within 12 months] by: resourcing and promoting shared casework models ensuring that mental health and drug and alcohol services are represented on Risk Assessment and Management Panels and other multi-agency risk management models at the local level.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 80
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 100
The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, and psychologist and drug and alcohol service peak bodies collaborate to develop a database of psychiatrists, psychologists, drug and alcohol practitioners and any other professionals with expertise in family violence to help general practitioners when making referrals [within 12 months].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 81
Recommendation 101
Victoria Police actively seek access to forensic medical examinations in family violence matters from the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine [within two years].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 81
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 102
The Chief Psychiatrist—in consultation with the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists and psychologists’ peak bodies— coordinate the development of a family violence learning agenda [within two years] that includes: undergraduate and graduate training in relation to family violence continuing professional development in relation to family violence guidance on appropriate responses to people with mental illness who have also suffered family violence.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 81
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 103
The Victorian Government, through its membership of the Australian Health Workforce Ministerial Council, encourage the Ministerial Council to approve standards that facilitate a mandatory requirement that general practitioners complete family violence training as part of their continuing professional development [within 12 months].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 81
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 104
The Victorian Government increase investment in programs to ensure that people who have been affected by family violence have timely access to group-based or individual counselling for as long as they need. The counselling should be delivered by practitioners with appropriate training [within 12 months].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 82
Government-published status Implemented
Victorian Government, Ensure people affected by family violence have access to counselling, status
Recommendation 105
The Victorian Government, through the Council of Australian Governments, encourage the Commonwealth Government to consider a Medicare item number for family violence counselling and therapeutic services distinct from a general practitioner mental health treatment plan. In the longer term consideration should be given to establishing a Medicare item number or a similar mechanism that will allow medical practitioners to record a family violence–related consultation or procedure and so more accurately ascertain the public cost of family violence [within 12 months].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 82
Government-published status Implemented
Victorian Government, Consider a Medicare item number for family violence services, status
Recommendation 106
The Victorian Law Reform Commission consider the matters the Commission raised in this report in relation to the Victims of Crime Assistance Tribunal and the Victim Assistance Program in its Victims of Crime in the Criminal Trial Process review. To the extent that these matters do not fall within the terms of reference for that review, the Attorney-General should amend the terms of reference or ensure that a separate review of these matters is carried out.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 82
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 107
The Victorian Government encourage the Financial and Consumer Rights Council to require that its members receive family violence and economic abuse training as part of continuing professional development and in order to remain members. The council should also work with other financial counselling member organisations to encourage them to do the same [from 1 January 2017].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 82
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 108
The Victorian Government, through the Council of Australian Governments, encourage the Commonwealth Government [within 12 months] to: amend the National Credit Code to include family violence as a ground for financial hardship and develop an awareness campaign to ensure that both consumers and credit providers are aware of their rights and responsibilities work with the Australian Communications and Media Authority and its related representative bodies and associations to amend the Telecommunications Consumer Protections Code to: list minimum eligibility criteria for access to hardship programs make family violence an express eligibility criterion incorporate a requirement for specific policies for customers experiencing family violence to clarify consent requirements for payment plans when an account is jointly held include grounds for splitting jointly held debt and removing an account holder’s name if family violence has occurred.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 83
Recommendation 109
The Victorian Government work with the Essential Services Commission [within 12 months] to: amend the Energy Retail Code and Customer Service Code—Urban Water Businesses to: list minimum eligibility criteria for access to hardship programs include family violence as an explicit eligibility criterion develop industry guidelines for energy and water retailers to require comprehensive and ongoing training of customer service staff to help them identify customers experiencing family violence and financial hardship publicise the availability of dispute resolution mechanisms for people affected by family violence.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 83
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 110
The Victorian Government encourage the Victorian Energy and Water Ombudsman and the Commonwealth Financial Services Ombudsman and Telecommunications Ombudsman to publicise the availability of their dispute-resolution processes to help victims of family violence resolve disputes with service providers in relation to debts and liabilities incurred in the context of family violence [within 12 months].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 83
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 111
The Victorian Government encourage the Australian Bankers’ Association, through its Financial Abuse Prevention Working Group, to develop a family violence–specific industry guideline [within 12 months]. This should be supported by training and education for relevant banking staff, to help them understand, identify and deal with economic abuse associated with family violence.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 84
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 112
The Department of Justice and Regulation investigate whether the Road Safety Act 1986 (Vic) should be amended so that, if a perpetrator of family violence incurs traffic fines while driving a car registered in the name of the victim, the victim is able to have the fines revoked [within 12 months] by declaring: They were not the driver of the vehicle at the time of the offending. They are a victim of family violence—as evidenced by a statutory declaration, a copy of a family violence safety notice or family violence intervention order, or a support letter from a family violence worker, general practitioner or other appropriate professional. They are unable to identify the person in control of the vehicle at the time for safety reasons.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 84
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 113
The Victorian Government amend the Infringements Act 2006 (Vic) to provide that the experience of family violence may be a special circumstance entitling a person to have a traffic infringement withdrawn or revoked [within 12 months].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 84
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 114
The Magistrates’ Court of Victoria consider [within 12 months]: issuing a practice direction to encourage the use of personal property conditions in family violence intervention orders including specific questions about personal property conditions in the information form that precedes the application for a family violence intervention order (FVIO1 form).
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 84
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 115
Victoria Police amend the Victoria Police Code of Practice for the Investigation of Family Violence to provide guidance and examples in relation to when it is appropriate to seek personal property conditions in family violence intervention orders [within 12 months].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 85
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 116
The Department of Justice and Regulation’s review of the Residential Tenancies Act 2006 (Vic) consider amending the Act to: empower Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal members to make an order under section 233A of the Act if a member is satisfied that family violence has occurred after considering certain criteria—but without requiring a final family violence intervention order containing an exclusionary condition provide a clear mechanism for apportionment of liability arising out of the tenancy in situations of family violence, to ensure that victims of family violence are not held liable for rent (or other tenancy-related debts) that are properly attributable to perpetrators of family violence enable victims of family violence to prevent their personal details from being listed on residential tenancy databases, and to remove existing listings, where the breach of the Act or the tenancy agreement occurred in the context of family violence enable victims of family violence wishing to leave a tenancy to apply to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal for an order terminating a co-tenancy if the co-tenant is the perpetrator of that violence—including, where relevant, an order dealing with apportionment of liability for rent (or other tenancy-related debts) between the co-tenants prevent a landlord from unreasonably withholding consent to a request from a tenant who is a victim of family violence for approval to reasonably modify the rental property in order to improve the security of that property.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 85
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 117
The Victorian Government encourage the use of applications under section 233A of the Residential Tenancies Act 2006 (Vic) [within 12 months], including by means of training and education for family violence support workers, Victoria Police and other relevant support staff in relation to the existence and operation of the provision.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 85
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 118
The Magistrates’ Court of Victoria consider issuing a practice direction to encourage magistrates hearing family violence intervention order applications to inquire as early as possible about whether the applicant and respondent are in shared rental accommodation and, if so, ensure that the protected person is notified of the right to apply for a new tenancy agreement and receives information about how to do so [within 12 months].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 86
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 119
The Victorian Government consider any legislative reform that would limit as far as possible the necessity for individuals affected by family violence with proceedings in the Magistrates’ Court of Victoria to bring separate proceedings in the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal in connection with any tenancy related to the family violence [within two years].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 86
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 120
The Victorian Government ensure that Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal members receive training and education to ensure that they have adequate expertise in the Family Violence Protection Act 2008 (Vic) and family violence matters [within 12 months].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 86
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 121
The Victorian Government support the expansion of initiatives that deliver financial literacy training and education for victims of family violence [within two years].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 86
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 122
The Department of Justice and Regulation, in consultation with victims’ representatives and experts in restorative justice, develop a framework and pilot program for the delivery of restorative justice options for victims of family violence. The framework and pilot program should have victims at their centre, incorporate strong safeguards, be based on international best practice, and be delivered by appropriately skilled and qualified facilitators [within two years].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 86
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 123
The Victorian Government, subject to successful evaluation of the Adolescent Family Violence Program, extend the program across Victoria [within two years].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 87
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 124
The Victorian Government develop additional crisis and longer term supported accommodation options for adolescents who use violence in the home. This should be combined with therapeutic support provided to end the young person’s use of violence in the family [within two years].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 87
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 125
Victoria Police determine its baseline model for family violence teams and consider appointing dedicated youth resource officers to provide support to young people and their families following police attendance at an incident in which an adolescent has used violence in the home [within 12 months].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 87
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 126
The Melbourne Children’s Court establish family violence applicant and respondent worker positions to assist young people and families in situations where adolescents are using violence in the home [within 12 months].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 87
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 127
The Victorian Government, subject to successful evaluation of the Youth Diversion Program Pilot, establish a statutory youth diversion scheme [within two years].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 87
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 128
The Victorian Government trial and evaluate a model of linking Youth Justice Group Conferencing with an Adolescent Family Violence Program to provide an individual and family therapeutic intervention for young people who are using violence in the home and are at risk of entering the youth justice system [within two years].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 88
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 129
The Secretary of the Department of Justice and Regulation liaise with the Secretary of the Commonwealth Attorney-General’s Department on a continuing basis to advocate for the adoption of family law reforms that reduce fragmentation of jurisdictions in cases involving family violence.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 88
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 130
Victoria Police amend the Victoria Police Code of Practice for the Investigation of Family Violence to refer to the existence of the Victoria Police power to arrest for breach of an injunction for personal protection under the Family Law Act 1975 (Cth) and to encourage police to exercise that power. Victoria Police should provide training in relation to the existence of that power [within 12 months].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 88
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 131
The Victorian Government, through the Council of Australian Governments Law, Crime and Community Safety Council, pursue amendments to the Family Law Act 1975 (Cth) [within 12 months] to: provide that a breach of an injunction for personal protection is a criminal offence increase the monetary limit on the jurisdiction of the Magistrates’ Court of Victoria to divide the property of parties to a marriage or a de facto relationship (section 46) make it clear that the Children’s Court of Victoria can make orders under Part VII of the Family Law Act in the same circumstances as the Magistrates’ Court of Victoria (sections 69J and 69N).
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 88
Recommendation 132
The Victorian Government amend sections 57 and 96 of the Family Violence Protection Act 2008 (Vic) [within 12 months] to: require magistrates to give an applicant, and a respondent if the respondent appears before the court, an explanation of how a family violence intervention order interacts with any existing or new Family Law Act 1975 (Cth) order or an order under the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005 (Vic). This explanation should be given on the making of both an interim family violence intervention order and a final family violence intervention order if the court has varied, suspended, revoked or revived a Family Law Act order, require magistrates to explain the purpose, terms and effect on the family violence intervention order permit the court to request that the legal practitioner provide the requisite explanations when a person to whom the family violence intervention order is directed is legally represented if the parties do not appear before a magistrate, require the relevant court registrar to provide information in writing on the interaction between either an interim or final family violence intervention order and any applicable orders under the Family Law Act or the Children, Youth and Families Act.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 89
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 133
The Victorian Government amend the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005 (Vic) to clarify that the Children’s Court of Victoria has the same jurisdiction to make Family Law Act 1975 (Cth) parenting orders as the Magistrates’ Court of Victoria [within 12 months].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 89
Recommendation 134
The Victorian Government, through the Council of Australian Governments Law, Crime and Community Safety Council, pursue [within two years]: the creation of a single database for family violence, child protection and family law orders, judgments, transcripts and other relevant court documentation that is accessible to each of the relevant state, territory and Commonwealth courts and other agencies as necessary the development of a national family violence risk assessment framework and tool and consistent use of such a framework or tool by state, territory and Commonwealth courts, lawyers, government and non-government service providers.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 89
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 135
The Magistrates’ Court of Victoria consider revising the form and content of family violence intervention order court applications and documentation [within 12 months] to: ensure that when proceedings are filed with the court both the affected person and the respondent are informed of the Magistrates’ Court’s jurisdiction under the Family Law Act 1975 (Cth). Such information should be available to parties in self-initiated applications and in proceedings initiated by a police family violence safety notice inform the applicant that the court may revive, vary, discharge or suspend a parenting order pursuant to section 68R of the Family Law Act.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 90
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 136
The Magistrates’ Court of Victoria and the Children’s Court of Victoria consider pursuing a formal information-sharing arrangement or protocol with the Family Court of Australia and the Federal Circuit Court of Australia that is consistent with the new information-sharing regime in the Family Violence Protection Act 2008 (Vic), as recommended by the Commission [within 18 months]. The protocol should clearly set out the purpose of and principles for information exchange and allow communication between the jurisdictions in relation to process. Among the information to be exchanged between courts should be relevant court documents such as court orders, judgments, court reports and transcripts. The protocol should be regularly reviewed.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 90
Recommendation 137
The Department of Health and Human Services support on a continuing basis the co-located child protection practitioner initiative in the Victorian registries of the Family Court of Australia and the Federal Circuit Court of Australia.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 90
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 138
The Victorian Government establish a legislative basis for the Victorian Systemic Review of Family Violence Deaths and provide adequate funding to enable the Coroners Court of Victoria to perform this function [within 12 months].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 90
Recommendation 139
The Victorian Government fund Seniors Rights Victoria, InTouch Multicultural Centre Against Family Violence and Women with Disabilities Victoria [within 12 months] to: provide training to equip specialist family violence service providers and providers of universal services to recognise and provide appropriate services to older Victorians, people from culturally and linguistically diverse communities and people with disabilities who experience family violence build partnerships with and provide advice to specialist family violence service providers and providers of universal services to enable them to respond effectively to the needs of people in these communities.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 91
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 140
The Department of Health and Human Services review and update standards for family violence service providers (including men’s behaviour change programs) [within two years]. The standards should specify providers’ obligation to develop suitable services for diverse communities, consistent with their obligation to provide non-discriminatory services under the Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006 (Vic) and the Equal Opportunity Act 2010 (Vic).
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 91
Government-published status Implemented
Victorian Government, Review and update standards for family violence service providers, status
Recommendation 141
The Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission issue a guideline under section 148 of the Equal Opportunity Act 2010 (Vic) to guide service providers in meeting their obligation to act inclusively and avoid discrimination when delivering services to all people who are affected by family violence. The guideline should apply to family violence service providers (including men’s behaviour change programs), as well as to universal and mainstream organisations [within 12 months].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 91
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 142
The Victorian Government ensure that family violence community awareness and prevention programs and activities use language, imagery and messaging that reflect the diversity of the Victorian community [within two years]. Prevention work should be developed in consultation with relevant communities and be evaluated in order to refine future practice. Inclusiveness of diversity should also be an important consideration for corporate and philanthropic funders of such programs and activities.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 91
Government-published status Implemented
Victorian Government, Ensure awareness and prevention programs reflect Victoria's diversity, status
Recommendation 143
The Victorian Government ensure that the proposed Victorian Family Violence Index measures, as far as possible, the extent of and response to family violence in different communities.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 92
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 144
The Victorian Government implement the recommendations of the mid-term evaluation of the Indigenous Family Violence Ten Year Plan [within two years].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 92
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 145
The Victorian Government [within two years]: continue to work in partnership with Aboriginal communities to develop a statewide strategic response to improving the lives of vulnerable Aboriginal children and young people increase investment in programs that provide ‘wrap-around’ support to parents and children, especially in the first five years of life, so that the trajectory into child protection for these vulnerable families is interrupted and reversed expand the Aboriginal component of Child FIRST to reduce the high rates of removal of Aboriginal children and provide consistency across Victoria examine factors that influenced the decline in admissions into out-of-home care in Outer Gippsland, Mallee, Goulburn and North Eastern Melbourne so that lessons can be learnt and applied to future policy and practice.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 92
Recommendation 146
The Victorian Government give priority to providing adequate funding to Aboriginal community controlled organisations [within 12 months] for: culturally appropriate family violence services for Aboriginal women and children family-centred services and programs—including programs that focus on cultural strengthening— therapeutic child-centred programs, and one-door integrated services where family members can obtain a range of supports culturally appropriate legal services for victims and perpetrators, to meet the increased demand for services and the need for statewide coverage crisis accommodation and support options for Aboriginal women and children based on core and cluster-style and best-practice models with access to longer term housing culturally appropriate services for Aboriginal men who perpetrate family violence—including access to suitable accommodation early intervention and prevention actions in Aboriginal communities—including whole-of-community activities and targeted programs.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 93
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 147
The Victorian Government, on the basis of the advice of the Indigenous Family Violence Partnership Forum, give priority to major service models for evaluation using culturally appropriate outcome measures, methodologies and providers [within three years]. The Victorian Government should also ensure that all Aboriginal family violence interventions are evaluated in a culturally appropriate manner and that this is adequately resourced to ensure that Aboriginal service providers have the capacity to support such an evaluation [within 12 months].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 93
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 148
The Victorian Government ensure that funding agreements for mainstream family violence organisations incorporate a requirement for services to conduct cultural safety reviews and action plans in all areas of operations, governance, workforce and relationships with the community. Investment in Aboriginal service providers will be necessary to support this [within 12 months].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 93
Government-published status Implemented
Victorian Government, Require services to conduct cultural safety reviews and action plans, status
Recommendation 149
The Melbourne Magistrates’ Court resume the Koori Family Violence and Victims Support Program [within 12 months].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 93
Government-published status Implemented
Victorian Government, Resume the Koori Family Violence and Victims Support Program, status
Recommendation 150
The Victorian Government, subject to the approval of the Aboriginal Justice Forum and inclusion of any necessary safeguards, extend the jurisdiction of the Koori Magistrates and County Courts to include offences where it is alleged that the defendant has contravened a family violence intervention order [within 12 months].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 94
Government-published status Implemented
Victorian Government, Extend the jurisdiction of the Koori Magistrates and County Courts, status
Recommendation 151
The Victorian Government ensure that Koori Family Violence Police Protocols are implemented in the remaining identified sites, with adequate resources and support provided to Elders and other community members providing cultural education to police in all sites (including those where protocols currently operate) [within two years].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 94
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 152
Victoria Police, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Justice and Regulation and the Department of Education and Training improve the collection of Indigenous-specific data relating to family violence so that this can be shared with communities, organisations and governance forums to inform local, regional and statewide responses [within 12 months].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 94
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 153
The Victorian Government resource the development and delivery of information on family violence using channels such as seniorsonline, information distributed with Victorian Seniors Cards, Seniors Week and the Seniors Information Centre [within 12 months].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 94
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 154
The Victorian Government, through the Council of Australian Governments, encourage the Commonwealth Government [within 12 months] to: ensure that the Human Resource Management Standard in the Community Care Common Standards Guide specifies that workers delivering services must have successfully completed certified training in identifying family violence and responding to it review the existing Community Services Training Package courses relevant to providing ageing support to ensure that each course has a core, rather than elective, unit that adequately covers all manifestations of family violence.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 95
Recommendation 155
Victoria Police, with advice from the Priority Community Division, scope options for a trial of a dedicated family violence and elder abuse response team in one Victoria Police local service area. The team should have the capacity to investigate financial abuse [within two years].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 95
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 156
The Victorian Government amend section 6 of the Family Violence Protection Act 2008 (Vic) to expand the statutory examples of family violence to include forced marriage and dowry-related abuse [within 12 months].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 95
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 157
The Victorian Government update its guidelines on policy and procedures in using interpretative services to specifically deal with family violence—in particular, the risks of using perpetrators, children and other family members as interpreters, as well as using the same interpreter for both perpetrator and victim [within 12 months].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 95
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 158
The Magistrates’ Court of Victoria allocate specific funding for family violence interpreters and develop court guidelines for booking interpreters in family violence matters [within 12 months]. Among other things, the guidelines should take account of the following: an early process for checking whether parties require an interpreter a practice of booking two interpreters if both parties require an interpreter a presumption that wherever possible a female interpreter will be booked for a female party.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 96
Recommendation 159
Victoria Police [within 12 months]: amend the Code of Practice for the Investigation of Family Violence to emphasise the risks associated with using children as interpreters and using the same interpreter for both perpetrator and victim, as well as to provide practical guidance to officers on the use of interpreters provide training at all appropriate levels on the amended Code of Practice requirements relating to interpreters.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 96
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 160
The Victorian Government, as a member of the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters Ltd, work with the other members of the authority to ensure that accreditation and testing processes and approval of translator and interpreter courses require an understanding of the nature and dynamics of family violence [within two years].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 96
Recommendation 161
The Department of Health and Human Services, in collaboration with the Victorian Multicultural Commission, community organisations and other relevant bodies, develop a strategy for informing service providers, specialist family violence services and other community organisations about the health impacts of female genital mutilation, emphasising that it can be a form of family violence and a criminal offence [within 12 months].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 96
Recommendation 162
The Victorian Government, through the Council of Australian Governments, encourage the Commonwealth Government to broaden the definition of family violence in the Migrations Regulations 1994 (Cth) so that it is consistent with the Family Violence Protection Act 2008 (Vic) and to ensure that people seeking to escape violence are entitled to crisis payments (regardless of their visa status) [within 12 months].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 97
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 163
The Office of Multicultural Affairs and Citizenship Multifaith Advisory Group and the Victorian Multicultural Commission, in partnership with expert family violence practitioners, develop training packages on family violence and sexual assault for faith leaders and communities [within three years]. These packages should build on existing work, reflect leading practice in responding to family violence, and include information about referral pathways for victims and perpetrators. The training should be suitable for inclusion as part of the pre-service learning in various faith training institutes, as well as the ongoing professional development of faith leaders.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 97
Government-published status Implemented
Victorian Government, Develop training packages for faith leaders and communities, status
Recommendation 164
The Department of Health and Human Services consult with the Office of Multicultural Affairs and Citizenship Multifaith Advisory Group, the Victorian Multicultural Commission and women from faith communities as part of its review of standards for specialist family violence service providers (including men’s behaviour change programs), to ensure that these standards and the associated services take account of the needs of people in faith communities who experience family violence [within two years].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 97
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 165
Faith leaders and communities establish processes for examining the ways in which they currently respond to family violence in their communities and whether any of their practices operate as deterrents to the prevention or reporting of, or recovery from, family violence or are used by perpetrators to excuse or condone abusive behaviour.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 97
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 166
The Victorian LGBTI Taskforce, supported by relevant experts, provide advice [within two years] on the following: research priorities relating to the nature and prevalence of and the most effective responses to family violence in LGBTI communities effective prevention strategies the review of the standards for family violence service providers—including men’s behaviour change programs intersections between family violence and health and wellbeing initiatives.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 98
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 167
The Victorian Government require all funded family violence services to achieve Rainbow Tick accreditation [by 31 December 2018]. This should be achieved by means of a staged approach, using workforce training and LGBTI equity auditing followed by full accreditation. An evaluation should be conducted to determine whether all family violence services are suitably responsive to and inclusive of LGBTI people [by 31 December 2019].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 98
Government-published status Implemented
Victorian Government, All funded family violence services achieve Rainbow Tick accreditation, status
Recommendation 168
The Victorian Government provide funding [within 12 months] for the following: development and maintenance of legal and other resources for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex communities to support the identification and reporting of family violence, along with information about safe, accessible sources of support shared community education campaigns via LGBTI and family violence services to encourage LGBTI people who are experiencing family violence to seek help provision of training and advice to specialist family violence services for those LGBTI victims who cannot remain in their home, assistance with obtaining safe accommodation.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 98
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 169
The Victorian Government, in the context of its commitment to review equal opportunity and birth certificate laws, examine the need to clarify relevant provisions of the Equal Opportunity Act 2010 (Vic) to remove any capacity for family violence accommodation and service providers to discriminate against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex Victorians [within 12 months].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 99
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 170
The Victorian Government adopt a consistent and comprehensive approach to the collection of data on people with disabilities who experience or perpetrate family violence. This should include collecting data from relevant services—for example, incident reports made to the Department of Health and Human Services by disability services when family violence has occurred [within two years].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 99
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 171
The Victorian Government fund research into the prevalence of acquired brain injury among family violence victims and perpetrators [within two years].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 99
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 172
The Victorian Government fund training and education programs for disability workers—including residential workers, home and community care workers, interpreters and communication assistants and attendant carers—to encourage identification and reporting of family violence among people with disabilities [within two years].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 99
Government-published status Implemented
Victorian Government, Fund training and education programs for disability workers, status
Recommendation 173
The Victorian Government, through the Council of Australian Governments Disability Reform Council, encourage the Commonwealth Government and the National Disability Insurance Agency to ensure that all disability services workers involved in assessing needs and delivering services have successfully completed certified training in identifying family violence and responding to it. This could include further developing and mandating the units on family violence and responding to suspected abuse in the Community Service Training Package [within five years].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 99
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 174
Victoria Police, in the redesign of the police referral (L17) form, ensure that disability data is collected, including on the type of disability and the support required. Training should be provided to help police members identify how and when to make adjustments for people with disabilities [within 12 months].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 100
Government-published status Implemented
Victorian Government, Ensure that police referral (L17) forms capture disability data, status
Recommendation 175
The Judicial College of Victoria provide training to judicial officers in order to raise awareness and encourage consistent application of section 31 of the Evidence Act 2008 (Vic), which allows courts to make adjustments to the way people with disabilities may be questioned and give evidence [within 12 months].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 100
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 176
The Department of Health and Human Services review the funding model for crisis supported accommodation to remove barriers for women and children with disabilities [within 12 months].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 100
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 177
The Victorian Government, in phasing out communal refuges, ensure that replacement accommodation contains disability-accessible units (universal design), where carers can be accommodated as needed and adaptions for children with disabilities are made [within five years].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 100
Government-published status Implemented
Victorian Government, Ensure accommodation services contain disability-accessible units, status
Recommendation 178
The Victorian Government extend eligibility for the Victorian Disability Family Violence Crisis Response to assist people with disabilities who are victims of family violence and are not eligible for services under the Disability Act 2006 (Vic) but who nevertheless require assistance. Such eligibility should apply when these individuals do not have access to alternative supports [within 12 months].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 100
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 179
The Victorian Government encourage the National Disability Insurance Agency, in the transition to the National Disability Insurance Scheme, to provide flexible packages that are responsive to people with disabilities experiencing family violence. These packages should incorporate crisis supports and assistance for rebuilding and recovering from family violence [within two years].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 101
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 180
The Victorian Government publicise and promote the Victims Support Agency in any information campaign relating to family violence as the primary source of assistance for male victims. The agency should also provide appropriate online resources for male victims [within 12 months].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 101
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 181
The Victims Support Agency continue to receive all police referrals (L17 forms) relating to male victims, including after the establishment of the Support and Safety Hubs. The agency and all other relevant support services should develop joint arrangements to ensure that male victims of family violence are supported in obtaining the help they need [within two years].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 101
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 182
The Victorian Government and other relevant parties, in designing the recommended Statewide Family Violence Action Plan and implementing the Commission’s other recommendations: give priority to reducing family violence in rural, regional and remote communities improve access to services by victims and perpetrators of family violence in such communities investigate and fund the use of technological solutions to provide access to service providers— among them those with experience in safety planning and counselling when contracting for and funding services in these communities, recognise: the importance of building the capacity of universal services to deliver family violence services in order to facilitate an effective, locally based response the need for flexibility in contracting and funding arrangements in order to facilitate collaboration between different services and providers.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 102
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 183
Corrections Victoria review the current processes for identifying female offenders at risk of or with a history of family violence and respond through therapeutic interventions and education programs [within 12 months].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 102
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 184
Corrections Victoria ensure that therapeutic interventions such as individual counselling and group-based programs such as Out of the Dark are available for all women in prison who have experienced family violence [within 12 months].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 102
Government-published status Implemented
Victorian Government, Ensure therapeutic interventions are available for all women in prison, status
Recommendation 185
Corrections Victoria [within 12 months]: inform post-release support services if a prisoner has a history of family violence victimisation to ensure that post-release accommodation arrangements do not place the prisoner at increased risk refer prisoners who have been victims of family violence to family violence services when they are being released.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 103
Recommendation 186
Victoria Police amend the Victoria Police Code of Practice for the Investigation of Family Violence to describe the difficulties women in the sex industry face in reporting family violence to police and how to take those difficulties into account when investigating family violence perpetrated against these victims [within 12 months].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 103
Recommendation 187
The Victorian Government ensure that the Commission’s recommended Statewide Family Violence Action Plan includes a primary prevention strategy [within 12 months] that should: be implemented through a series of three-year action cycles refer to actions to be taken and be accompanied by performance measures guide and be guided by the Victorian Government’s Gender Equality Strategy be supported by dedicated funding for family violence primary prevention.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 103
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 188
The Victorian Government resource an initiative (either inside or outside government) [within 18 months] to: oversee prevention of family violence activities in Victoria provide policy and technical advice to policy makers—including government—on primary prevention provide to organisations technical advice and expertise on building primary prevention in their organisations and within communities coordinate research that builds evidence around the primary prevention of all forms of family violence ensure that accredited workforce development training in primary prevention is available through registered training organisations. This Victorian initiative should be undertaken in close collaboration with Our Watch, ANROWS (Australia’s National Organisation for Women’s Safety) and other relevant bodies.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 104
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 189
The Victorian Government mandate the introduction of respectful relationships education into every government school in Victoria from prep to year 12. Implementation should be staged to ensure school readiness and to allow for ongoing evaluation and adaptation. It should be delivered through a whole-of-school approach and be consistent with best practice, building on the evaluation of the model being tested by the Department of Education and Training through Our Watch [within five years].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 104
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 190
The Victorian Government ensure that the inclusion of family violence leave in all public sector enterprise agreements is accompanied by access to suitable support services and referrals, as well as adequate planning, training and resources to equip managers and human resources staff to communicate and implement the leave entitlements.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 104
Government-published status Implemented
Victorian Government, Family violence leave is supported by access to suitable services, status
Recommendation 191
The Victorian Government, through the Council of Australian Governments, encourage the Commonwealth Government to amend the National Employment Standards in Part 2-2 of the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) to include an entitlement to paid family violence leave for employees (other than casual employees) and an entitlement to unpaid family violence leave for casual employees [within 12 months].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 105
Government-published status Implemented
Victorian Government, Include an entitlement to paid family violence leave for employees, status
Recommendation 192
On receipt of Our Watch’s Workplace Equality and Respect Project final report, the Victorian Government should: begin implementing best-practice workplace programs in all public sector workplaces in order to: enable them to build respectful and gender equitable cultures ensure that they have suitable policies for family violence victims provide adequate responses to and not allow for collusion with family violence perpetrators build skills and support staff in taking bystander action support the maintenance of the project’s proposed web-based portal or database of program models, tool kits, training resources and packages for application and use in all workplaces review and report on options for using existing regulatory frameworks and government procurement policies to support all Victorian employers in implementing best-practice family violence policies [within 12 months of receipt of the final report].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 105
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 193
The Victorian Government establish a governance structure for implementing the Commission’s recommendations and overseeing systemic improvements in family violence policy [within two years]. The structure should consist of: a bipartisan standing parliamentary committee on family violence a Cabinet standing sub-committee chaired by the Premier of Victoria a family violence unit located in the Department of Premier and Cabinet a Statewide Family Violence Advisory Committee Family Violence Regional Integration Committees, supported by Regional Integration Coordinators an independent Family Violence Agency established by statute.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 105
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 194
The Cabinet Family Violence Sub-committee advise Cabinet on the Statewide Family Violence Action Plan based on the Commission’s recommendations and be responsible for: specifying outcomes for achievement relating to prevention, early intervention and responses to family violence, supporting victims (including in their long-term recovery), and holding perpetrators to account proposing priorities for expenditure setting performance targets. The sub-committee should report regularly to Cabinet on progress in implementing the plan [within 18 months].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 106
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 195
The Victorian Government require all ministers to report regularly on the risks and opportunities in their portfolio relevant to family violence. The charter letters of all ministers should require them to consider the effect of proposed policies or legislation in their portfolios on the Statewide Family Violence Action Plan and family violence [within 12 months].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 106
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 196
The Victorian Secretaries Board institute working arrangements—for example, the establishment of a sub-committee—to support effective oversight of family violence prevention and responses. Membership of the sub-committee should include the Secretaries of Treasury and Finance, Justice and Regulation, Health and Human Services, and Education and Training, the Chief Commissioner of Police and the Chief Executive Officer of Court Services Victoria. The sub-committee should be chaired by the Secretary of the Department of Premier and Cabinet [within 12 months].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 106
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 197
The Victorian Secretaries Board advise the government [within 12 months] on all measures to be taken to develop, implement and coordinate the Statewide Family Violence Action Plan (including any adaptations that should be made to the plan in the future), among them: preparation of a 10-year industry plan for family violence prevention and response areas where joint budget bids should be made in order to give effect to new proposals collection, sharing and use of information to enhance system performance means of ensuring aligned policy development and implementation, as well as avoiding gaps and overlaps in departmental service provision oversight, development and adaptation of regional structures to give effect to the Statewide Family Violence Action Plan development of processes for identifying Commonwealth and state and territory funding expended on matters relevant to family violence—including funding expended on universal services that are relevant to family violence and the cost of grants made for family violence– related projects a strategy for purchasing or modifying data collection systems relevant to family violence— including systems used by Victoria Police, the Magistrates’ Court of Victoria, the Children’s Court of Victoria and the Department of Health and Human Services—to ensure there is capability to link information relevant to the safety of victims of family violence and their children.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 107
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 198
The Victorian Government establish a family violence unit within the Department of Premier and Cabinet to support the work of the Cabinet Family Violence Sub-committee, the Victorian Secretaries Board, and the Statewide Family Violence Advisory Committee. The unit will lead whole-of-government work with other departments and policy units with family violence responsibilities (including the Office for Women) and should be responsible for ensuring that Victoria meets its obligations under the National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children [within 12 months].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 107
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 199
The Victorian Government establish an independent statutory Family Violence Agency [by 1 July 2017] to: monitor and report on implementation of the Commission’s recommendations and of the Statewide Family Violence Action Plan provide expert policy advice on family violence at the request of Cabinet, the Premier or the Victorian Secretaries Board undertake and commission applied research, policy and evidence reviews and conduct own-motion inquiries into the operation of the family violence system liaise with relevant Commonwealth government and national agencies in developing policy and practice to enhance primary prevention efforts and improve responses to family violence establish a means by which service providers can share information about programs liaise with the Crime Statistics Agency and other agencies to coordinate data collection and sharing for the purposes of assessing the overall performance of systems that respond to family violence.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 108
Government-published status Implemented
Victorian Government, Establish an independent statutory Family Violence Agency, status
Recommendation 200
The Victorian Government re-establish the Violence against Women and Children Forum as the Statewide Family Violence Advisory Committee to advise the government on family violence policy and service provision [within 12 months]. The committee should include representation from experts, victims of family violence and system advocates with perspectives on both prevention of and support for victims of family violence. Consultation with the committee should inform the evolution and implementation of the Statewide Family Violence Action Plan.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 108
Government-published status Implemented
Victorian Government, Establish the Statewide Family Violence Advisory Committee, status
Recommendation 201
The Victorian Government and agencies that respond to family violence identify and develop safe and constructive ways to ensure that the voices of victims are heard and inform policy development and service delivery [within two years].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 108
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 202
With the advice of the Family Violence Agency, the Victorian Secretaries Board Family Violence Sub-committee consider how to ensure that local council performance measures are used to encourage local council activities designed to prevent family violence and to assess the outcomes of any services they provide to victims and perpetrators of family violence [by 1 July 2018].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 108
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 203
The Victorian Government work with organisations it funds to provide family violence services, to improve evaluation standards [within 12 months] by, among other things: ensuring that where an evaluation is anticipated or expected, resources are provided to allow for the evaluation, including funding for the evaluation itself and for the design and/or implementation of processes and systems to support data collection ensuring that the initial period for which a program is funded contains a period of service delivery that is long enough to support a thorough evaluation of the program resourcing those delivering initiatives to conduct ‘action research’ during the life of the program, so that adaptations can be made to improve data collection and service delivery publishing evaluation outcomes where appropriate.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 109
Government-published status Implemented
Victorian Government, Work with organisations to improve evaluation standards, status
Recommendation 204
The Victorian Government work with the recommended Family Violence Agency and the Crime Statistics Agency to improve statewide family violence data collection and research [by 1 July 2018], including through: setting a strategic direction and addressing recurrent data gaps developing a statewide data framework, informed by relevant Commonwealth standards—for example, relevant Australian Bureau of Statistics frameworks such as the National Data Collection and Reporting Framework guidelines and ANROWS (Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety) guidance. This should include shared data definitions and performance indicators, guidelines on the collection of demographic information—in particular, on older people, people with disabilities and people from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, culturally and linguistically diverse and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex communities— and shared best-practice and auditing standards and procedures to foster consistency and quality among Victorian data sets exploring opportunities for data linkage between existing data sets and other enhancements to increase the relevance and accessibility of existing data holding regular stakeholder meetings to review the function and quality of the Victorian Family Violence Database.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 109
Government-published status Implemented
Victorian Government, Improve statewide family violence data collection and research, status
Recommendation 205
The Crime Statistics Agency maintain and develop the Victorian Family Violence Database and consider what additional data sets should be incorporated in the database, how links between all relevant data sets can be created, and how the database can otherwise be developed [within 18 months].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 109
Government-published status Implemented
Victorian Government, Develop and maintain the Victorian Family Violence Database, status
Recommendation 206
The Victorian Government continue to fund ANROWS (Australia’s National Organisation for Women’s Safety) to do research in relation to preventing and responding to family violence.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 110
Government-published status Implemented
Victorian Government, Continue to fund Australia's National Organisation for Women's Safety, status
Recommendation 207
The Victorian Government develop or commission the development of a 10-year industry plan for family violence prevention and response in Victoria, to be delivered by 31 December 2017, with commensurate funding for workforce transition and enhancement to begin from that date. The plan should cover: the workforce requirements of all government and non-government agencies and services that have or will have responsibility for preventing or responding to family violence—among them specialist family violence services, perpetrator interventions, police, legal and justice services, and universal and secondary service systems remuneration, capability and qualifications, workforce diversity, professional development needs, career development and workforce health.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 110
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 208
The Australian Association of Social Workers amend the Australian Social Work Education and Accreditation Standards to require that a ‘working with family violence’ subject be required as a component of the core curriculum in all social work undergraduate degrees [within two years].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 110
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 209
The Victorian Government include in the 10-year industry plan for family violence prevention and response a staged process for the introduction of mandatory qualifications for specialist family violence practitioners, so that no later than 31 December 2020 all funded services must require family violence practitioners to hold a social work or equivalent degree [within five years].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 110
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 210
The Victorian Government encourage the Commonwealth Government to extend the HECS– HELP benefit scheme to graduates employed in specialist family violence services and associated services (such as community legal services that provide legal services to victims of family violence) [within 12 months].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 111
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 211
The Victorian Government ensure that advanced family violence practitioner positions are established at each of the 17 recommended Support and Safety Hubs [by 1 July 2018]. As an immediate measure, additional resources should be provided to existing services, so that they can provide additional secondary consultation to universal services until the practitioner positions are established.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 111
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 212
The Victorian Government determine the best means of delivering comprehensive workforce development and interdisciplinary learning about family violence across the health, human services and justice sectors. This should include consideration of the New South Wales Education Centre Against Violence model [within two years].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 111
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 213
The Victorian Government establish family violence principal practitioner positions in the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Education and Training and the Department of Justice and Regulation [by 31 December 2016].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 111
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 214
The Victorian Attorney-General consider, when recommending appointments to the magistracy, potential appointees’ knowledge, experience, skills and aptitude for hearing cases involving family violence, including their knowledge of relevant aspects of federal family law [within 12 months].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 111
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 215
The Judicial College of Victoria include material on the dynamics and complexities of family violence in other general programs offered to all judicial officers and Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal members, in addition to the specific family violence programs and resources provided to date [within 12 months].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 112
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 216
The Victorian Government provide funding to continue the development of comprehensive family violence learning and development training covering family violence, family law and child protection for court staff and judicial officers [within 12 months].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 112
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 217
The Victorian Government introduce in the 2017–18 State Budget additional output performance measures relating to the prevention of family violence and the assistance provided to victims and perpetrators in order to increase the visibility of family violence in budgetary processes.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 112
Government-published status Implemented
Victorian Government, Introduce additional performance measures in the 2017-18 State Budget, status
Recommendation 218
The Victorian Government, in preparing the Statewide Family Violence Action Plan, consider whether further changes should be made to budget systems to better reflect the central role of government in preventing and responding to family violence [within 12 months].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 112
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 219
The Victorian Government [within 12 months]: commission or itself perform rigorous and consistent measurement of the cost of family violence to government, the community and individuals require departments and agencies to establish consistent methods of collecting data—including data on costs incurred by generalist services—on activities relating to family violence prevention and response and include that information in their annual reports.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 112
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 220
The Victorian Government ensure that the recommended Statewide Family Violence Action Plan emphasises prevention, early intervention and supporting the long-term recovery of victims. It should also identify the funding that will be required to pursue these goals [within 18 months].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 113
Government-published status Implemented
Victorian Government, Emphasise prevention, early intervention and long-term recovery, status
Recommendation 221
In the 2016–17 State Budget the Victorian Government give priority to: providing an immediate funding boost to increase the capacity of specialist family violence services and Integrated Family Services to respond to existing demand implementation of the Commission’s recommendations that relate to that budget period.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 113
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 222
The Victorian Government treat the extension of the National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness as a matter of urgency and pursue it immediately with the Commonwealth Government [within 12 months].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 113
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 223
The Victorian Government develop a demand-modelling tool or set of indicators to be used for planning how government as a whole and relevant departments and agencies themselves (including those providing or funding universal services) respond to family violence [within two years]. Budget processes should take account of the cost of forecast demand.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 113
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 224
The Victorian Secretaries Board develop and promulgate principles for purchasing services that will contribute to achieving the goals of the Statewide Family Violence Action Plan [within 18 months]. These principles should include: measures to encourage service providers to collaborate in order to enable clients to receive a broader range of services ways of simplifying pathways of support ensuring victims and their children have access to a comprehensive range of services, regardless of where they live in Victoria allowing sufficient time for piloting, evaluation and adaptive management of new programs.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 113
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 225
The Victorian Government require departments and agencies to introduce measures of contractual performance by service providers that more accurately reflect the objectives of ensuring victims’ safety, preventing family violence and supporting those affected by it, and keeping perpetrators accountable [within 12 months].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 114
Government-published status Implemented
Recommendation 226
Victorian government departments and agencies establish processes for regular overview and evaluation of funded services and programs, based on the recommended principles adopted by the Victorian Secretaries Board. The processes should involve independent experts as well as departmental staff [within 12 months].
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 114
Government-published status Implemented
Victorian Government, Regularly evaluate funded services and programs, status
Recommendation 227
The Victorian Government investigate options for increasing its capacity to invest in preventing and responding to family violence, including by: redirecting existing revenue sources towards family violence expenditure identifying new revenue sources exploring the possibility of entering into a partnership agreement with the Commonwealth Government in areas of overlapping responsibility.
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 114
Government-published status Implemented
About the inquiry
- Established
- resulted in the establishment of this Royal Commission into Family Violence on 22 February 2015 Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 9
- Commissioner
- The Hon. Marcia Neave AO – Commissioner Patricia Faulkner AO – Deputy Commissioner Tony Nicholson – Deputy Commissioner Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 3
- Deputy Commissioner
- The Hon. Marcia Neave AO – Commissioner Patricia Faulkner AO – Deputy Commissioner Tony Nicholson – Deputy Commissioner Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 3
- Deputy Commissioner
- The Hon. Marcia Neave AO – Commissioner Patricia Faulkner AO – Deputy Commissioner Tony Nicholson – Deputy Commissioner Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1, page 3
- Final report
Official documents 2
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 1
Document details
- Recommendations
- 227
- Recommendations status
- Extracted
- How OPAX got it
- fetched by OPAXBot
Report of the Royal Commission into Family Violence (8 Volumes) - Part 2
Document details
- Recommendations status
- Not extracted
- How OPAX got it
- fetched by OPAXBot
Where the status comes from
Victorian Government, Family violence recommendations (implementation status) (227 pages)
Notes on this record
- The 227 recommendations are loaded from the summary and recommendations volume tabled with Part 1 of the report; the report's other volumes set out the same recommendations chapter by chapter.