By Danielle Kutchel
Court Network will no longer supply much-needed support to Family Court attendees from June 2020, having been forced to withdraw their services from Dandenong Family Court after funding dried up.
Court Network has been providing a free, volunteer-led support service at Dandenong and Melbourne Family Courts since 1990.
Three days a week, six volunteers help Dandenong court users navigate the intimidating Family Court process, working collaboratively with security, men’s and women’s family violence services and legal services to provide support, identify risk and provide referrals to other services.
“We are part of humanity and kindness to court users,” explained executive director of Court Network, Maya Avdibegovic.
“While others are busy and provide focus on legal outcomes, for us it’s about making sure there is someone to support people at times of great stress.”
Services at Melbourne Family Court will also be impacted by the funding loss.
Court Network’s Family Court services had historically been funded by the Federal Government, until a change in 2015 saw the money transferred to the states with no clear direction about allocation for Court Network.
Victorian Legal Aid (VLA) took over administration of the funds and supplied Court Network with the money they needed to continue their work.
But with VLA now experiencing their own funding troubles, the money for Court Network has dried up.
Ms Avdibegovic said Court Network had approached the Family Court as well as Federal and State Governments for more funding, to no avail.
“The position we’re in now is no one wants to take responsibility for us.”
A spokesperson for the Victorian Government said: “Court Network provides support services in Commonwealth law courts and this is the responsibility of the Federal Government.
“This is yet another Federal Government cut which means vulnerable women and children won’t get the support they need.”
The amount of funding being sought is $130,000.
“It’s a tiny amount of money,” Ms Avdibegovic added.
“In this time when we have all these tragic family violence incidents like the murder of women and children, and politicians talking about making a real different, not being able to support us with $130,000 is ridiculous.”
According to Our Watch, on average, one woman a week is murdered by her current or former partner.
For the year ending September 2019, the City of Greater Dandenong recorded a slight increase in family violence incidents, rising to 2441 incidents from 2392 the previous year.
In a statement, Law Institute Victoria president Sam Pandya called on the State and Federal Governments to urgently agree on a new national partnership agreement which provides essential legal aid funding.
“The current artificial distinction between what is a Federal Government legal issue and what is a State Government issue is leaving vulnerable people caught in the middle,” Mr Pandya said.
“Family violence issues are generally state funded, while family court is generally federally funded.
“But victims do not see their legal issues in terms of state boundaries, and nor should governments.”
Anyone who is able to provide support to Court Network is urged to contact the organisation on 8306 6966.
