No decision on region's specialist court

AN operational specialist family violence court at Shepparton may yet remain the closest outlet for the North East, despite community–driven plans to establish a headquarters court in Wangaratta. Northern Victoria state MP Tania Maxwell last month met with local stakeholders to investigate the impacts of family violence throughout the region, with each of Wangaratta, Benalla and Wodonga local government areas (LGAs) recording rates more than 50pc higher than the state average. An advisory group was subsequently established, featuring representatives from Wodonga, Indigo and Wangaratta councils, as well as women's health advocacy groups and local legal services. A cost proposal was put to State Government a fortnight ago, indicating $29.5m would be required to aid the renovation and training of specialist staff at a dedicated court in the region, which would in theory become the 14th operational specialist court in the state if greenlit between 2023 and 2026. The 2016 Royal Commission into Family Violence recommended 13 headquarter courts be established throughout the state in order to manage rising domestic violence rates, with Shepparton the first to be formally opened in 2019. A Victorian Government spokesperson said family violence had been a long–term focus of the incumbent government, but stopped short of promising the further expansion of specialist court facilities for the Wangaratta region. "We are working to protect victims of violence and hold perpetrators to account with unprecedented investment to end family violence," the spokesperson said. "We meet regularly with those in the sector to discuss and understand what they need to keep people safe and change behaviours around family violence. "We've invested more than $3.7b towards implementing the recommendations made by the landmark Royal Commission into Family Violence. "Following the statewide rollout of specialist family violence courts (SFVCs) all regions in Victoria will have a headquarter SFVC to provide support for their respective region. "In the North East, the relevant SFVC is Shepparton." Attorney–general Jaclyn Symes outlined her desire to implement specialist services at all magistrates courts across the state during questioning in parliament in late–September, but admitted she was "confined by the reality of what you can deliver in government". Specialist courts include separate entrances and exits, registry counters and safe waiting areas, and often work in conjunction with local magistrates' courts to ensure trained magistrates are available at Wodonga and Wangaratta courts, according to the spokesperson. Services such as Hume Riverina Community Legal Service (HRCLS), the Orange Door and the Centre against Violence (CAV) also provide significant support to victim survivors of family violence, however, both HRCLS and CAV admitted they had faced difficulty in meeting demand, subsequently joining the advisory panel. Parliamentary operations are currently suspended ahead the November 26 election, with Ms Maxwell outlining her desire to further discuss the plans ahead of next year's state budget.