Appeal for DV victims

THE Women’s Legal Service Queensland says hundreds of Gold Coast domestic violence victims will be left in limbo when it reduces its telephone support service on July 1.

WLSQ warned the number of Coasters it helps in the next year will be halved if the Government rejects a plea for an extra $300,000 a year in today’s State Budget.

The service responded to 1650 calls for help from the Gold Coast in the past 12 months. About 825 calls went unanswered due to a lack of funding that cut staff hours.

Attorney-General Yvette D’Ath ruled out the $300,000, saying WLSQ already received about $1.25 million a year.

WLSQ CEO Angela Lynch said the State Government was putting lives on the line.

“We don’t want another woman and her children to suffer alone simply because of a budget line item,” she said. “Legal advice is essential to safety. There are lives on the line.”

Ms D’Ath said many “worthy” DV organisations competed for government money and each had to go through a “rigorous” process. She said WLSQ would get about $4 million over three years.