Ms PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) (1719)
Incorporated pursuant to order of Council of 7 September 2021:
My adjournment matter is for the Treasurer, and the action I seek is that he fund women’s health programs delivered by the Royal Women’s Hospital for a further three years.
These programs are funded on a short-term basis and funding is due to expire in June this year.
There are several programs.
The first is the sexual and reproductive health clinical champions project.
The champions project builds workforce and system capability across Victoria to provide abortion and contraception services. It provides expertise and mentorship to providers of surgical and medical abortion across rural and regional Victoria. We know Victoria has pockets of abortion deserts—areas where there are no services to access. This program must be funded in an ongoing manner, but at least for a further three years.
The strengthening hospital responses to family violence initiative and the family violence workplace support program is a brilliant policy that builds capacity in the health workforce to identify the early warning signs of family violence. Over 11 000 staff have completed the training, with a 99 per cent satisfaction rate. The program increases the capacity of clinical staff to engage with victim-survivors in a way that promotes safety, respect and control.
The Sexual Assault Crisis Line (SACL) was established to provide after-hours support to victim-survivors of sexual assault across Victoria. In 2021 there was a 43 per cent increase in calls, but the number is expected to be higher because so many went unanswered. The staff are on temporary contracts.
Everyone agrees these programs are needed, but we can’t continue to fund them on a short-term basis. It creates anxiety in the system and high staff turnover rates and reduces the programs’ effectiveness.
This has shown strong belief in these programs, and that is why the action I seek is for the Treasurer to ensure they are funded for the long term, starting with at least the next three years.
Fiona Patten MP
Leader of Reason
Member for Northern Metropolitan Region
Adjournment 8/2/22
Answer
Thank you for taking the time to raise with me the matter of funding for the Royal Women’s Hospital women’s health programs as part of the 2022-23 State Budget.
The Andrews Labor Government wants to make sure that every Victorian is healthy, happy, supported and connected. The 2021-22 Budget continued our commitment to health and wellbeing of women. This included:
- $4.1 million to establish three new women’s reproductive health hubs and expansion of operating hours and scope of services at the eight existing hubs; and
- $70 million to establish free and public fertility care services for up to 4 000 Victorian patients each year when the program is fully operational, and to deliver Victoria’s first public sperm and egg bank.
The 2021-22 Budget delivered $354 million for wide-ranging family violence prevention and response measures, to continue our support for women and children experiencing family violence and to increase perpetrator accountability. As part of this investment the roll out of the Multi-Agency Risk Assessment and Management (MARAM) framework has been continued, with funding for the strengthening hospital responses to family violence initiative and the family violence workplace support program also continued for another four years.
Also included in this investment was $49 million over four years to support case management responses for victim survivors of family violence in emergency accommodation and for victim survivors of sexual assault, to extend family violence supports and services including sexual assault services.
Deliberations on proposals for the upcoming state budget are currently underway. Further information on these determinations will be provided in the 2022-23 budget.
TIM PALLAS MP
Treasurer
1/2/2022
