Domestic and Family Violence

Mr COWDREY (Colton) (14:35): My question is to the Attorney-General, representing the Minister for Human Services. Can the Attorney update the house on what the Marshall Liberal government is doing to manage the expected increase in domestic violence during the COVID-19 pandemic?

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN (Bragg—Deputy Premier, Attorney-General) (14:36): It is with pleasure that I respond to the member for Colton's inquiry. I know of his concerns that we do everything we can as we go through the COVID-19 circumstances to ensure that we protect predominantly women and children in the circumstance of exposure to domestic violence.

It has been an issue which was placed on the table as soon as the government came into being, with the Premier appointing an assistant minister. I have been very pleased to work together with the Hon. Michelle Lensink MLC, of course a member in the other house and the minister directly responsible in this area, to ensure that we have domestic violence law reform that we bring to the fore and also to ensure that during the COVID-19 period, in continuing discussions with the Commissioner of Police, who of course is our State Coordinator, we are alert to increased access to website inquiries.

There have been a substantial number during the course of this period already, since 22 March. It hasn't yet translated, I am pleased to advise, into a significant increase of offences being identified or detected, but certainly a heightened number are making inquiries. So the announcement today of an extra $2.4 million to help tackle domestic violence in South Australia ongoing, as part of the commonwealth's $150 million Australia-wide assistance package, adds to a number of initiatives that we have already announced and helps fund other programs directly related to perpetrators and early intervention.

I indicate that $900,000 is allocated to a men's referral line, which will allow South Australian men to seek advice, support and help about their use of violence and connect them with tailored domestic violence services—that is, OARS and KWY, two organisations that already do a fantastic job in this space. This is also an outstanding initiative, which is the first time in South Australia that any government has committed funding to a men's referral service. Providing support to perpetrator early intervention stops violence at the start and aims to help women and children remain safe.

Further, we see an immediate $1 million investment to direct assistance for people experiencing abuse to pay for safety upgrades to their home, transport, financial counselling and support for children. As the parliament would be aware, the government has already dedicated $14 million towards a suite of measures previously outlined, but these extra important initiatives funded, as announced today, are absolutely critical to us helping people get through this COVID-19 period.

I hope that at the end of this I am not standing here giving an update on increased domestic violence, but early signs of very significant uptake of inquiries in this area are concerning to me and I know to the minister. It is something that we need to all be alert to because, as the Minister for Child Protection has pointed out, even the reduced access to friends, children in schools, even going to the doctor, are all points at which there can be an alert to either protecting our children or assisting people to get advice to be out of a domestic violence or family violence situation. I am very keen that we all remain alert in this area, and I commend the minister for bringing forward these initiatives today.