The Andrews Labor Government is continuing to help victim survivors and the ones they love find safety and support to rebuild their lives, with funding to expand critical refuge and crisis accommodation across Victoria.

Minister for Prevention of Family Violence Gabrielle Williams today visited McAuley House, which will receive funding to provide essential and lifesaving support for people who need immediate protection from family violence.

The 2022-23 Victorian Budget provides $69.1 million to build and operate two new refuges, purchase six new crisis accommodation properties and upgrade three existing facilities to boost state-wide refuge and crisis accommodation capacity for up to 40 additional households.

This funding boost builds on the Labor Government’s historic investment in critical refuge and crisis accommodation and initial commitment to 20 new and redeveloped “core and cluster” refuges across the state, including three Aboriginal-specific refuges.

The Royal Commission into Family Violence made recommendations to improve housing options for victim survivors of family violence, including phasing out older style communal refuges. The core and cluster model ensures families can recover with the privacy and dignity of independent living, while getting the support they need.

The core and cluster model comprises independent residential units with an administrative support building on the same site – enabling women and children to live independently, with easy access to 24/7 on-site services to provide flexible support to meet the needs of victim survivors from all backgrounds.

Funding will also be provided to expand accommodation options – McAuley Community Services for Women and Good Samaritan Inn will provide accommodation for women fleeing family violence, and Berry Street will provide therapeutic accommodation-based support for mothers and young children.

Victoria is leading the nation with its work to end family violence, with more than $3.7 billion invested since the Royal Commission into Family Violence, more than every other state and territory combined.