About 700 new safe places for women and children escaping domestic violence will be built across the country under the Morrison Government’s $60 million Safe Places initiative for new and expanded emergency accommodation. 

Minister for Families and Social Services Anne Ruston and Assistant Minister for Community Housing, Homelessness and Community Services Luke Howarth announced 40 projects would be funded, supporting about 6000 women and children each year.

Minister for Families and Social Services Anne Ruston said this was an important investment to improve access to suitable accommodation for women and their children.

“The first priority of the Morrison Government is to keep Australians safe and secure but, sadly, we know that home is not safe for many women and children,” Minister Ruston said.

Assistant Minister for Community Housing, Homelessness and Community Services Luke Howarth said, tragically, family and domestic violence was a leading cause of homelessness for women and children.

“Importantly about half of these places will be remote and regional communities supporting those who have had limited safe housing options,” Assistant Minister Howarth said.

“The Government also favoured projects which provide longer term, self-contained emergency accommodation which will give women and their children increased stability.”

Federal Member for Hume Angus Taylor said Anglicare in Goulburn would receive $2,606,133 to build emergency accommodation for women and children escaping domestic violence.

“This will fund the construction of seven two-bedroom crisis units and three three-bedroom transitional units,” Mr Taylor said.

“It will ensure women and children in Goulburn have somewhere safe to sleep but will also provide access to specialist family and domestic violence services to help create real and lasting change in their lives.”

“When women make the decision to leave it is vital that they have somewhere safe to go and Anglicare will assist 156 women and children locally each year as a result of our investment. “

The $60 million Safe Places Emergency Accommodation program is part of the $78 million funding package which includes $18 million to continue the Keeping Women Safe in their Homes initiative.

This funding forms part of the $340 million Australian Government investment in the Fourth Action Plan of the National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2010–2022 which is provided in addition to our $150 million COVID-19 response package.

For more information on the Safe Places Emergency Accommodation grants, visit the Community Grants Hub.