The City of Rockhampton is to be headquarters of a Department of Justice and Attorney-General’s Domestic Violence High Risk Team.
The team’s priorities are to be the strengthening of the region’s response to serious cases of violence and better protection for those victims most at risk.
Attorney-General, Shannon Fentiman said the teams were a key tool in the State’s commitment to tackle domestic and family violence.
“High Risk Teams help prevent vulnerable women from slipping through the cracks,” Ms Fentiman said.
“They identify victims of violence early, and then work with them closely to ensure their safety.”
She said the teams were made up of representatives from the Queensland Police Service, Queensland Health, the Department of Housing, and various support services.
“These Agencies share critical information quickly about a woman at risk of violence and carefully manage her situation, while also monitoring potentially dangerous perpetrators,” Ms Fentiman said.
“Evidence clearly shows these teams are enabling faster and more targeted responses for victims and perpetrators.”
She said as a response to the Women’s Safety and Justice Taskforce, the High Risk Teams were being rolled out into more locations, including Townsville and Brisbane South, as well as Rockhampton.
Ms Fentiman also announced more than half a million dollars in additional funding for domestic, family and sexual violence services in the region.
“We’ve allocated more than $566,000 extra funding, as part of $22.5 million being provided to services over the next three years, plus a share of additional funding also provided to Centacare and St Vincent de Paul who operate services in Rockhampton,” the Minister said.
“We know this funding will make a real difference to vulnerable Queenslanders most at risk,” she said.
