Matthew Guy and the Liberals have today confirmed they will cut funding to family violence services if they win the next election, putting women and children at risk.

A recent media report states:

Prevention of family violence spokeswoman Georgie Crozier said the opposition would consider the recommendations’ “financial impost” and whether “there are efficiencies that can be realised”…. “We need to understand the full detail of those 227 recommendations, understand if there can be efficiencies and improvements.”.  Herald Sun, 17 October 2018

Keeping women and children safe is not a financial impost. It’s beyond belief that when it comes to cutting services, the Liberals are promising to target some of the most vulnerable people in our community.

Matthew Guy must immediately come clean on which frontline family violence services will be subject to the Liberals’ razor gang, if he wins the election.

Will the Liberals cut women’s refuges and other crisis accommodation services? Or will they take the axe to new support and safety hubs, men’s behavioural change programs, children’s counselling services?

The Liberal Party just can’t help themselves, it’s part of their DNA – when last in government they cut the services that hard working Victorians depend upon, including:

• Ripping almost $1 billion out of schools and axing the Educational Maintenance Allowance and School Start Bonus and over $1 billion slashed from TAFE, with campuses closed and 2400 teachers sacked
• Cutting $1 billion from our hospitals, hurting patients and doctors and nurses
• Sacking 4,200 public servants and closing dozens of offices that were delivering frontline services
• Cutting 400 staff from Victoria Police including essential forensic experts.

The Andrews Labor Government has invested a record $2.6 billion in family violence services, as we work to implement each and every one of the 227 recommendations of the landmark Royal Commission into Family Violence to protect women – all of which is now at risk thanks to Matthew Guy and the Liberals.

Quotes attributable to Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence Natalie Hutchins

“Keeping women and children safe should never be seen as a financial impost – and cutting funding to family violence services is no way to end family violence.”

“Cutting services is in the Liberals’ DNA – but even for them it’s extraordinary that they are preparing to target some of Victoria’s most vulnerable people.”

“Labor is proud to be implementing each and every one of the recommendations made by the Royal Commission into Family Violence and it’s time the Liberals made the same commitment.”