VICTIMS of domestic violence faced delays in accessing vital resources due to staff shortages which saw the Orange Door family violence centres across Victoria close for a combined 39 days in 2024.
The news follows the closure of the Benalla Community Services Hub, home to one of the electorate’s only Orange Door Service, at the end of 2024.
The Seymour Orange Door was closed for five days in 2024, making it the second most frequently closed location in the entire state.
The Nationals’ Member for Euroa, Annabelle Cleeland, said the state government was failing to protect some of the state’s most vulnerable people.
“The Allan Labor Government has failed to support one of our state’s most crucial services at a time when we can least afford it,” Ms Cleeland said.
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“Seymour’s Orange Door was closed for a total of five days this past year due to a lack of staff despite being home to one of the highest rates of family-based violence in the state.
“Failing to support these services in areas like Seymour and Benalla is a damning indictment of Labor’s ability to keep our most vulnerable people safe.
Ms Cleeland said the lack of family violence services in the community was leaving vulnerable families without critical support and said the government was underfunding the services in order to pay off the state’s debt.
“The continued erosion of family violence services in regional Victoria risks devastating consequences for those in urgent need of safety and support—this neglect cannot be ignored.”
“Overspending and increasing debt levels caused by Melbourne-based projects has seen this government turn to Regional Victoria as a way of saving money,” Ms Cleeland said.
“Unfortunately, it is our most vulnerable people who are suffering with cuts to mental health services, family violence support operators, community houses, hospitals, and maternity services.”
