$217,000 boost for domestic violence services in Adelaide’s suburbs

Additional culturally appropriate counselling will be available for Indigenous women in Adelaide’s outer northern and outer southern suburbs who are experiencing domestic violence, thanks to a $217,000 grant from the Turnbull Government.

Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Nigel Scullion, said that Kornar Winmil Yunti (KWY) Aboriginal Corporation would receive funding to provide a new holistic family response, including culturally appropriate counselling for women and their children experiencing domestic violence through until 30 June 2018.

A new women’s domestic violence counsellor will work concurrently with KWY’s existing men’s counselling and behaviour change programmes, and other domestic violence services to provide a holistic service.

“Improving the safety of Indigenous families and communities is one of the highest priorities for the Turnbull Government – and this investment will enable the Kornar Winmil Yunti Corporation to provide additional support to people who need it the most,” Minister Scullion said.

Liberal Senator for South Australia, Senator Simon Birmingham, said that through the Indigenous Advancement Strategy (IAS), the Government was providing targeted investment to those working on the ground to make a difference in the lives of First Australians.

“This project is a great example of the Coalition working with Indigenous Australians to improve outcomes for First Australians living in Adelaide,” Senator Birmingham said.

The Kornar Winmil Yunti Aboriginal Corporation project is one of 28 recently funded under the IAS. Services have been funded to provide intensive support to Indigenous people most affected in the following areas: alcohol and drugs, domestic violence, mental health and wellbeing, and youth offending.

Existing service providers will share $5.3 million in Government funding through until 30 June 2018 to transition from the Indigenous Community Links programme to new place-based, intensive support services that address specific safety and wellbeing needs. A further $1.9 million will be provided until 30 June 2018 for new services in areas where a safety and wellbeing service gap has been identified.

Service providers will be asked to collect service data to assess the impact of the service, to better understand what works to overcome Indigenous disadvantage and contribute to the evidence base.

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