SAC Welcomes Landmark National Plan to end Family and Domestic Violence

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17 hours ago
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MEDIA RELEASE: Southern Aboriginal Corporation (SAC) has welcomed the launch of Our Ways – Strong Ways – Our Voices: National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Plan to End Family, Domestic and Sexual Violence 2026-2036, which represents the Federal Government’s commitment to ending violence against Aboriginal women and children.

The Plan recognises that Aboriginal women are disproportionately represented as victims of family and domestic violence, and that they face unique and significant challenges to accessing culturally safe, trauma informed and place-based supports. Equally, it recognises that creating accountability, addressing attitudinal and behavioural change and promoting personal responsibility among men is critical to creating safer futures for all.

SAC CEO, Asha Bhat, welcomed the national approach to prevention, early intervention, response, recovery, healing and long-term safety:

“Every day, SAC works with clients who are victimised and displaced by family and domestic violence.

Locally, our Family Violence Prevention Legal Service (FVPLS) Unit, which provides legal and social support for Aboriginal people experiencing or at risk of violence across the Great Southern, South West and lower Wheatbelt, has experienced a steady increase in client numbers over the last decade. In the 2024-25 Financial Year, they delivered 624 legal services and 1,708 non-legal (counselling and client support) services to address client needs.

These numbers speak to the prevalence of violence perpetrated against vulnerable Aboriginal people, and the need for culturally safe, client centric and trauma informed supports.”

Ms Bhat said that SAC welcomed the National Plan’s recognition that legal supports must be integrated with other services to provide comprehensive assistance, ensuring a holistic approach to addressing individuals’ needs.

Ms Bhat also noted the emphasis on behaviour change and personal responsibility within the National Plan, and welcomed the inclusion of SAC’s aspirations around recommencing delivery of a Behaviour Change program for Aboriginal men, embedded in culture and designed to build social and emotional health and wellbeing and strengthen positive relationships across the Great Southern, South West and Wheatbelt regions:

“We are glad to see the Plan refer to our Moorditj Men’s Program, which we ran in 2023 and have since continued to lobby the State Government for funding to sustain service delivery. The Program engaged Aboriginal men in group yarning and individual consultations, providing opportunities for diversion, health promotion, addressing suicide risk and mental health issues, addressing the misuse of alcohol and other drugs, and promoted safety in the home and community.

SAC notes that the Federal Government has committed $218.3 million in new funding over four years to deliver specialist support services under the National Plan, and urges immediate investment in strengthening front-line service capacity, particularly within the FVPLS sector and Behaviour Change programs, to ensure long-term, sustainable success.

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