Albo’s worker pledge a big fail

A federal Labor pledge to deliver 500 frontline workers to support people experiencing family, domestic and sexual violence is yet to be fulfilled with not a single position created across Australia.

In NSW and Victoria, department officials have also revealed neither government has signed up to the national partnership agreement to fund the positions.

The revelation was made in Senate estimates last week where Department of Social Services officials were grilled on the progress of the pledge.

The federal Government announced at its October Budget that it would be spending almost $170 million over four years towards securing 500 frontline service and community workers.

The funding was part of a Labor election commitment to make women’s safety a national priority, with the states and territories to be involved in the delivery of the workers.

But asked about progress by Senator Sarah Henderson, a department official confirmed not one was yet in place.

It was understood NSW – which had been delayed due to the state election – will sign up “imminently” but Victoria was still “subject to ongoing negotiations and discussions”.

Deputy Opposition leader Sussan Ley, who is also the spokeswoman for women, said the issue was not being treated as an urgent priority.

“Women’s safety has always been a bipartisan issue and the Coalition will always support actions to end the scourge of domestic violence in our community,” she said.

“It is deeply disappointing that the Government has overpromised and underdelivered.

“This should be an area of urgent policy priority. Instead, we have seen very big claims backed by very little action. The fact that the Government promised to have 200 new workers on the frontline by now but has delivered nothing, is frankly inexcusable.”

Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth said the government had made “good progress” on delivering the workers.