COWPER MP Pat Conaghan has vowed to fight for the return of a program that targeted domestic violence prevention in Coffs Harbour, particularly among the refugee community, saying women’s lives are at risk.

The Federal Government last month ceased annual funding of $260,000 for the Next Level program, which Anglicare North Coast delivered locally.

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Mr Conaghan said that at a time when incidents of domestic violence were at a historical high, a hot spot region like the North Coast needed more funding, not less.

A recent NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research report found the Coffs Harbour-Grafton area had experienced a 70 percent increase in domestic violence-related assaults over the past five years.

Over the same period there was a 65.7 percent jump in sexual assaults.

Mr Conaghan said the funding ended as a result of changes to the way the Government provided grants, which are now made through the ‘National Plan to End Violence Against Women and Children 2022-2032’ and administered by the states and territories.

He said the Next Level program had evolved over the past fifteen years to specifically address the unique needs of Coffs Harbour’s Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) community.

It provided “pathways to social cohesion, mental health, and family safety with a particular focus on preventing domestic and family violence within the refugee and refugee-like community”.
“We all see the promises from ministers at all levels of government in the media every time a woman is killed in Australia,” Mr Conaghan said.

“Promises to increase funding and frontline support for successful programs are seen again and again in the national headlines.

“Anglicare North Coast’s innovative program is one of those successful programs.

“It looks at the entire family unit and provides tangible pathways to men’s behavioural change and the prevention of violence.

“There is currently no other program aimed at supporting families in our region who are not fluent in English.

“For it to be removed from funding consideration as a result of what is essentially bureaucratic red tape is an unacceptable outcome.”

He said the CALD community of Coffs Harbour had “fallen through the cracks as a result of buck passing between State and Federal governments”.

“Just because this program doesn’t fit into the new ‘tick box’ list due to its unique target group, it’s been pushed aside,” Mr Conaghan said.

“Domestic violence amongst migrant communities is statistically higher, but no consideration has been given to this.

“Fifteen years of experience and establishment of trust in a vulnerable segment of our community is down the drain with the flick of a pen.”

He said he would work with his NSW parliamentary colleagues to elevate the issue and find an immediate solution.

“We cannot see fewer frontline workers in a region like ours.

“Women’s lives are literally depending on them,” Mr Conaghan said.

A host of local organisations including St Vincent de Paul Society, Warrina Domestic and Family Violence Specialist Services, STARTTS (Service for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma Survivors), and Mission Australia wrote to the Government in support of the Next Level program.

Responding to a letter from Anglicare North Coast Chief Executive Officer Mark McNamara, a representative of Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth said the states and territories were best placed to administer Federal funding for those most in need.

“I would like to acknowledge your organisation’s successful delivery of activities in the Coffs Harbour region to support and empower people impacted by family, domestic and sexual violence,” the representative said.

“Your organisation has made an important contribution to the Australian Government’s commitment to end violence against women and children.”