- The first meeting of the historic new family and domestic violence special taskforce was held today
- The taskforce brings together leaders of State Government agencies and peak community organisations and an academic expert
- One of the first actions of the taskforce is to undertake steps to establish a lived experience advisory group
A special taskforce formed to help guide the next phase of the State’s commitment to address family and domestic violence (FDV) met for the first time today.
Announced by the Cook Government on 12 September, the new taskforce was a key request of the recent family and domestic violence forum organised by the Centre for Women’s Safety and Wellbeing.
Since the announcement, Minister for the Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence Sabine Winton has worked with the co-chairs to determine the peak community organisation representatives for the taskforce.
Today’s taskforce meeting was co-chaired by senior Noongar woman Professor Colleen Hayward AM, and Department of the Premier and Cabinet Director General Emily Roper.
It brought together leaders of State Government agencies, peak community organisations and an academic with expertise in family and domestic violence.
The Government representatives are the Directors General of the Departments of Communities, Justice, Education, Treasury and Health along with the Commissioners for the Western Australia Police Force and the Mental Health Commission.
The non-government leaders are:
- Dr Alison Evans, Chief Executive Officer, Centre for Women’s Safety and Wellbeing;
- Damien Green, Chief Executive Officer, Stopping Family Violence;
- Professor Donna Chung, Curtin University;Barbara Henry, Executive Officer, Noongar Family Safety and Wellbeing Council;
- Vicki O’Donnell OAM, Chair, Council of Aboriginal Services WA and Aboriginal Health Council of WA;
- andLouise Giolitto, Chief Executive Officer West Australian Council of Social Services.
Subject matter experts will be invited to taskforce meetings as required and appropriate to the matter being considered.
The taskforce’s objectives are to:
- Identify additional strategic areas for system reforms, including minimising barriers that prevent results, such as victim-survivor safety, and perpetrator accountability, as well as improving cross-system coordination and collaboration;
- Consider, prioritise, and advise on responses to key sector priorities as outlined at the August forum;
- Identify options to strengthen case coordination across Government, through improved information and data sharing; and
- Advise on and oversee the consultation process to establish the lived experience advisory group.
A key item on today’s agenda was establishing a lived experience advisory group which the taskforce will take forward as a priority action.
The taskforce builds on the Cook Government’s ongoing commitment to addressing family and domestic violence, and more than $200 million investment. It is expected to convene monthly for a limited time-period. It is scheduled to next meet in October.
As stated by Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence Minister Sabine Winton:
“The special taskforce was one of the key requests of the recent family and domestic violence forum, convened by the Centre for Women’s Safety and Wellbeing, and I am pleased that we have been able to get this important work underway so quickly.
“This collaboration between Government and experts in the community sector and academia will continue strengthening our responses to family and domestic violence.
“I look forward to working with members as they consider and identify actions as part of their operations.
“I’m pleased that a key function of the taskforce is to start the consultation with people with lived experience to set up the lived experience advisory group while the taskforce’s role is limited, the lived experience group will be enduring to Government.”
