New refuges to support women and children leaving violence

21 November 2022

Critical support services for thousands of domestic violence victim-survivors will be boosted with the funding of 39 new refuges by the NSW Government.

Treasurer Matt Kean said more than $426 million is being invested in the NSW Government’s Core and Cluster program to deliver new refuges that will be operational by the end of 2025-26.

“This funding represents the largest single capital investment in domestic and family violence in the NSW Government’s history and will provide long-term infrastructure to support women and children seeking safety,” Mr Kean said.

“Improving women’s and children’s safety and preventing domestic and sexual violence is a key priority.”

Minister for Women's Safety and the Prevention of Domestic Family and Sexual Violence Natalie Ward said the new refuges delivered under the NSW Government’s Core and Cluster program follows trials in Orange and Griffith.

“These 39 new refuges will be designed in the new Core and Cluster model, which is an innovative approach that provides independent living and access to critical services such as counselling, legal assistance and further education on site,” Mrs Ward said.

“Additionally, we have doubled funding for capacity building projects, from $2.2 million to $4.4 million, to support service providers to become involved in the delivery of focused and culturally sensitive domestic and family violence services.”

The Core and Cluster Sector Capacity Building Grants are being delivered by key sector peak bodies including Aboriginal Domestic and Family Violence and Specialist Homelessness Services, Aboriginal Community Housing Providers, regional based Services and smaller organisations.

Minister for Families and Communities, and Minister for Disability Services, Natasha Maclaren-Jones, said Domestic and Family Violence was the leading cause of homelessness for women and children in NSW, with 39 per cent of all people who accessed Specialist Homelessness Services in 2019/20 reporting that they had experienced Domestic and Family Violence.

“The funding for new crisis refuges will enable frontline service providers to support up to an additional 2,900 more women and children each year who have escaped domestic abuse and provide them with housing and specialist services,” Mrs Maclaren-Jones said.

“In addition to the Core and Cluster program, approximately 200 social and affordable homes for women experiencing domestic and family violence will be provided as well as dedicated support for up to 3,200 accompanied children and young people experiencing homelessness or who are at risk of homelessness.”

Minister for Women Bronnie Taylor says 20 of the 39 new refuges will be in regional NSW including Lithgow, Maitland and Far West.

“The locations of the Core and Cluster refuges will be in areas where there is high unmet demand for services, including regional and rural areas, and will support 2,900 more women and children each year who have escaped domestic abuse,” Mrs Taylor said.

“In 2020-21, almost 40 per cent of the people who accessed specialist homelessness services in NSW, across our cities, regional and rural communities, had experienced domestic abuse.

“I commend organisations such as the Country Women’s Association of NSW and Domestic Violence NSW for their strong advocacy in keeping these issues in focus and ensuring the needs of regional NSW are front and centre,” Mrs Taylor said.

State Member for East Hills Wendy Lindsay said this announcement highlights the Perrottet Government delivering on its commitment to provide better access to critical support services for victim-survivors, including in regional, rural and remote areas.

“These homes provide greater capacity across our state for safe, private and independent living spaces for those who are most in need,” Mrs Lindsay said.

Additional providers will be considered for funding under future tranches of the NSW Government Core and Cluster program.