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Original constituency question from Juliana Addison MP to Parliament –

My question is for the Minister for Prevention of Family Violence. Will the minister please advise me how the Central Highlands Orange Door in Ballarat is supporting women and children in my community and the broader region?

Family violence and all forms of violence against women continue to cause suffering and tragic loss of life within our communities. I am proud to be part of a government that is implementing all 227 recommendations from the Royal Commission into Family Violence and providing victim-survivors and their families and friends the meaningful support they deserve.

I want to thank the incredible workforce at Orange Door for the work they do and their ongoing commitment and dedication to addressing the scourge of family violence. Thank you also to the staff in support services in our community, including WRISC, Berry Street, CAFS—Child and Family Services Ballarat—CatholicCare and UnitingCare.

I look forward to the minister updating me on the crucial work of the Orange Door in Ballarat.

Response from the Hon Ros Spence MP, Minister for Prevention of Family Violence (19 July 2022) –

Thank you to the Member for Wendouree for her question regarding The Orange Door Network in Central Highlands, and for her continued advocacy for victim survivors of family violence in her local community.

As a key recommendation of the Royal Commission into Family Violence, the Andrews Labor Government continues to expand The Orange Door Network across Victoria. It has helped more than 216,000 people, including more than 86,000 children, since 2018. In Central Highlands alone, support has been provided to 13,115 people since the Orange Door opened there in October 2020.

I am pleased to confirm The Orange Door Network in Central Highlands Area provides services across all six local government areas of the Central Highlands, including the primary site in Ballarat, an access point in Moorabool and outposts in Ararat, Hepburn and Golden Plains. People are able to access assistance in person at a site or through outreach, via phone or email, ensuring there are multiple ways for people to get help.

The Australian-first model brings together workers from specialist family violence, men’s, Aboriginal and child and family services to provide coordinated, multi-disciplinary support, including crisis assistance and support, risk assessments, safety planning and wellbeing support.

The Orange Door Network of Central Highlands brings together partner agencies Berry Street, Ballarat and District Co-operative (BADAC) and Child and Family Services (Cafs).

These agencies are working alongside the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing to ensure that women, children and families of the Central Highlands area can readily access help and support for family violence and child well-being needs. The inclusion of BADAC in the partnership is critical in supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families and communities to access a culturally safe and meaningful response.

The Orange Door Network state-wide rollout continues with implementation progressing towards openings for the other remaining areas before the end of 2022.

Thank you to the Member for Wendouree for her persistent advocacy to strengthen the service response for those in your community who experience family violence. I extend my appreciation to staff at the family violence and other community services in Ballarat who work tirelessly on the front line to provide support to children and families in the region.

I look forward to continuing to work with the Member for Wendouree as we deliver on the 227 recommendations of the Royal Commission into Family Violence in Victoria, and progress towards ending violence against women in all its forms.