The Yellow Gate

The Hon. R.B. MARTIN (14:43): My question is to the Attorney-General. Will the Attorney please inform the council about the open day for the new government-funded domestic violence recovery and prevention hub, The Yellow Gate?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Attorney-General, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector) (14:43): I would be most happy to, and I thank the honourable member for his question. At the end of last week, it was a privilege to attend the open day of The Yellow Gate, along with many colleagues from the other place as well, and federal member the Hon. Amanda Rishworth, as well as the Mayor of Onkaparinga, Moira Were. The Hon. Katrine Hildyard also joined for the presentation at the end of that day when attendees heard from service providers; community members, such as Cedar and Yarrow Place; and the Muslim Women's Association.

The Yellow Gate centre is a southern community one-stop drop-in service where women and families can access expert support services to protect them from domestic, family and sexual violence, and be provided with opportunities for growth and development. The Noarlunga centre offers an amalgamation of services, including health support and counselling; an information hub detailing local programs, assistance and financial aid; legal guidance and referral assistance; and culturally sensitive support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women.

The services offered at Yellow Gate are available to women located in the southern metro region of Adelaide who are seeking domestic violence support and are not in immediate danger. Existing services, such as Southern Adelaide Domestic Violence Service and South Coast Family Violence, remain appropriate points of contact for those in immediate danger, further to the police.

It was a particular privilege to hear from Dianne Newton, chair of the Southern Domestic Violence Action Group, who detailed the action group's advocacy work in getting to where they are to have the centre open, and the prevention and recovery hub that was formally launched last December following the Malinauskas government's election commitment to establish northern and southern metropolitan safety hubs to support and empower women experiencing violence at the earliest opportunity, and raising community awareness for the efforts that came to fruition.

The government has provided, I am advised, $1 million in funding towards these hubs, which was further boosted through the National Partnership on Family, Domestic and Sexual Violence Responses within the Australian government. I would like to congratulate all of those involved in bringing The Yellow Gate hub to life and providing such essential services for prevention and recovery to victim survivors of domestic violence in South Australia.

I would also like to especially acknowledge Cathy McMorrine, the CEO of Southern Community Justice Services South Australia, for organising the event and the work that she and our community legal centres have done to support this initiative. I look forward to the success of this service in serving the women of the southern area of South Australia.