Page 5441 - Week 13 - Wednesday, 16 November 2011
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
cases of family violence. In addition, the directorate’s memorandum of understanding with DVCS has been renewed. These modifications are undertaken when clients and the Domestic Violence Crisis Service support them to remain in their homes. In these cases, the clients have already been a tenant, and additional support mechanisms have been put into place.
In 2009-10, in an expansion of these initiatives, Housing ACT, in partnership with DVCS, piloted a program to help women and children remain in their Housing properties following domestic violence. While the other aspects of this initiative have been successful, the pilot has met a number of constraints and obstacles, and today no perpetrators of domestic violence have been removed from the tenancy agreements.
The key issue identified in the early development phase was that, under the existing residential tenancies legislation, ACAT required final domestic violence orders to be in place before it would rule on changes of tenancy agreements. What we are doing now, Ms Bresnan, is working with the Justice and Community Safety Directorate to examine potential legislative changes that may be required in order that this initiative can be progressed.
MR SPEAKER: Supplementary, Ms Bresnan.
MS BRESNAN: Minister, what supports are in place for women who access this support and, if they have children, for their children to access other government and community sector services in situations of domestic violence?
MS BURCH: There are a range of initiatives that support women and their children who are experiencing domestic violence. We link women referred to the program to government and non-government support options. We have increased training for Housing staff on domestic and family violence. We have expanded the transitional housing program to make more accommodation available. We are continuing with the Christmas domestic violence program and continuing to support DVCS. There are some other Housing initiatives. We support women exiting corrections and the domestic violence Christmas program. We have implemented the domestic violence policy manual and we continue to support crisis accommodation to support women and their children.
Supplementary answers to questions without notice
Youth justice—strip searches
Children and young people—care and protection
MS BURCH: Yesterday there were some questions on segregation in Coree. I would like to provide some additional information regarding that. During the 2010-11 financial year there were two segregation directions involving two young people who were involved in an incident in February this year. In the 2011-12 financial year there has been one segregation when a young person assaulted another young person, resulting in injury. If young people are disruptive during the day or unwell they need to be supervised. They are accommodated in the Coree unit.
Just to clarify, the process of strip searching young people involves four individuals—the young person, the officer undertaking the search, the observer and the CCTV
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video