Impact on Victim Survivors and Services
The 2026-27 Federal Budget announced on 12th May reveals limited funding to address the rising rates of family and gender-based violence across Australia, sparking concerns from advocacy groups.
Safe and Equal, a leading Victorian organisation, expressed disappointment over the budget's insufficient investment to tackle the scale of family violence. The group recognises the government's commitment but stresses the need for more substantial support.
Christine Mathieson, Interim CEO at Safe and Equal, stated, "If we don’t invest in stopping this violence before it starts and responding to those who are in crisis, it will end up costing the economy more and most importantly, it will end up costing more lives."
Concerns and Commitments
The budget includes a $218.3 million allocation over five years for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander family safety plan, 'Our Ways – Strong Ways – Our Voices.' $182.6 million is designated to prevent systems abuse through the Child Support Scheme and other government systems.
$59.4 million is directed to assist Community Housing Providers in offering social housing for over 4,000 young people aged 16-24 who are at risk of or experiencing homelessness.
Despite these investments, Safe and Equal highlights the potential negative impact of cuts to the NDIS and insufficient social housing on family violence victim survivors, who often rely on these systems to escape and recover from abuse.
Mathieson further commented on the strain faced by frontline services, stating, "Frontline workforces all over the nation are buckling under the strain of demand. They’re being asked to do more with less."
The budget's focus on early intervention and primary prevention is welcomed, with emphasis on engaging men and boys in prevention initiatives and addressing technology-related challenges. Safe and Equal anticipates collaborating with the government on the Second Action Plan for the National Plan this year.
The budget also outlines several initiatives to improve access to support for victim survivors and to better support workers in frontline services. However, the continued funding for the 500 Workers Initiative will do little to address skyrocketing demand for family violence support.
Safe and Equal remains concerned that without increased and secure funding for specialist family violence services, job security for frontline workers will remain uncertain, further impacting the effectiveness of response efforts.
Last updated: 13 May 2026, 5:35 pm
