Changes to state family violence laws

29 Jan

TRIGGER WARNING: Please note this chapter (and pages it links to) contains information about family violence that may be triggering to family violence survivors.

The Victorian Government has implemented most of the 2016 Royal Commission into Family Violence (RCFV) recommendations (see www.vic.gov.au/family-violence-recommendations).

Other proposed reforms – including other procedural changes under the FVP Act, and rolling out a Family Violence Court Division (see ‘Specialist family violence courts’, below) to 14 major Magistrates’ Courts throughout Victoria – are still being implemented as part of the Free from Violence Second Action Plan 2022–2025. Victoria now has a separate Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence.

The Victorian Government has also created the Family Violence Reform Implementation Monitor. The monitor reports on the progress of the implementation of the RCFV’s recommendations, and on family violence reforms in general. The Monitor started operating in 2017 and must publish progress reports as at 1 November of each year.

The RCFV found that effective and appropriate sharing of information by organisations that work with survivors and perpetrators of family violence (e.g. court staff, the police, support agencies) is crucial to keeping survivors safe and holding perpetrators to account.
The Family Violence Information Sharing Scheme (FVISS) and the Child Information Sharing Scheme (CISS) were set up under Part 5A of the FVP Act and Part 6A of the Child Wellbeing and Safety Act 2005 (Vic). Both commenced in 2018. Under these schemes, a select group of prescribed information sharing entities (ISEs) are authorised to share information about victim survivors, alleged perpetrators, and third parties involved in family violence or child wellbeing or child safety (if relevant to assessing risk). These entities include the Children’s Court, Corrections Victoria, Child Protection (DFFH) and Victoria Police.
For more information about the FVISS, including exactly what information can be shared, a list of ISEs, and the roll-out schedule for the scheme, see the family violence section of the Victorian Department of Justice and Community Safety website at www.justice.vic.gov.au/safer-communities/protecting-children-and-families/family-violence.
For more information about the CISS, including a list of the authorised organisations and professionals who may access and share information, see www.vic.gov.au/child-information-sharing-scheme.
The RCFV recommended the creation of 17 one-stop multi-disciplinary ‘support and safety hubs’ (called ‘The Orange Door’) for adults, children and young people experiencing family violence and for families that need extra support. It is free to access help and support at The Orange Door and no referral is needed. There are 17 Orange Door hubs operating in all DFFH regions in metropolitan and regional Victoria.
For more information about The Orange Door hubs, see www.orangedoor.vic.gov.au.