This report is given subject to the written terms of KPMG’s engagement. This report has been prepared as outlined in Scope of the Evaluation section. The services provided in connection with this engagement comprise an advisory engagement which is not subject to Australian Auditing Standards or Australian Standards on Review or Assurance Engagements, and consequently no opinions or conclusions intended to convey assurance have been expressed.
No warranty of completeness, accuracy or reliability is given in relation to the statements and representations made by, and the information and documentation provided by, Department of Social Services’ management and personnel consulted as part of the process.
KPMG have indicated within this report the sources of the information provided. We have not sought to independently verify those sources unless otherwise noted within the report.
KPMG is under no obligation in any circumstance to update this report, in either oral or written form, for events occurring after the report has been issued in final form.
The findings in this report have been formed on the above basis.
Executive Summary 6
Evaluation of the Second Action Plan of the National Plan 6
1.ANROWS 8
2.1800RESPECT 8
3.Our Watch 8
4.The Line 8
5.Governance Arrangements 8
6.National Outcome 1 – Communities are safe and free from violence 9
7.National Outcome 2 – Relationships are respectful 9
8.National Outcome 3 – Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities are strengthened 9
9.National Outcome 4 – Services meet the needs of women and their children experiencing violence 9
11.National Outcome 5 – Justice responses are effective 10
12.National Outcome 6 – Perpetrators stop their violence and are held to account 10
13.Future areas for focus 10
14.Introduction 11
1.1 Background 11
1.2 The National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 12
1.3 The Second Action Plan – Priorities and Actions 13
1.4 Scope of Evaluation 15
1.5 Evaluation Method 16
15.Progress and Effectiveness of Second Action Plan priorities and actions 18
2.1 Priority 1 – Driving whole of community action to prevent violence 18
17.Intention and Government Commitment 19
18.Completeness of Action 1 19
19.Effectiveness of Action 1 25
20.Intention and Government commitment 27
21.Completeness of Action 2 27
22.Effectiveness of Action 2 29
23.Intention and Government commitment 31
24.Effectiveness of Action 3 34
25.Intention and Government commitment 35
26.Completeness of Action 4 35
27.Effectiveness of Action 4 36
28.Intention and Government Commitment 37
29.Completeness of Action 5 37
30.Effectiveness of Action 5 38
31.Intention and Government Commitment 39
32.Completeness of Action 6 40
33.Effectiveness of Action 6 41
35.Intention and Government Commitment 43
36.Completeness of Action 7 43
37.Effectiveness of Action 7 45
2.2 Priority 2 – Understanding diverse experiences of violence 46
38.Intention and Government Commitment 47
39.Completeness of Action 8 47
40.Effectiveness of Action 8 49
41.Intention and Government commitment 51
42.Completeness of Action 9 51
43.Effectiveness of Action 9 52
44.Intention and Government commitment 52
45.Effectiveness of Action 10 54
46.Intention and Government commitment 55
47.Completeness of Action 11 56
48.Effectiveness of Action 11 57
49.Intention and Government commitment 59
50.Completeness of Action 12 59
52.Effectiveness of Action 12 61
2.3 Priority 3 – Supporting innovative services and integrated systems 62
53.Intention and Government commitment 63
54.Completeness of Action 13 63
55.Effectiveness of Action 13 65
56.Intention and Government commitment 66
58.Effectiveness of Action 14 71
59.Intention and Government commitment 72
60.Completeness of Action 15 72
61.Effectiveness of Action 15 74
62.Intention and Government commitment 75
63.Completeness of Action 16 75
64.Effectiveness of Action 16 78
65.Intention and Government commitment 79
66.Completeness of Action 17 79
67.Effectiveness of Action 17 82
69.Completeness of Action 18 85
70.Effectiveness of Action 18 85
71.Intention and Government commitment 86
72.Completeness of Action 19 86
73.Effectiveness of Action 19 89
74.Intention and Government commitment 90
75.Completeness of Action 20 90
76.Effectiveness of Action 20 93
2.4 Priority 4 – Improving perpetrator interventions 94
77.Intention and government commitment 94
78.Completeness of Action 21 95
79.Effectiveness of Action 21 96
80.Intention and government commitment 97
81.Completeness of Action 22 97
82.Effectiveness of Action 22 97
83.Intention and government commitment 97
84.Completeness of Action 23 98
85.Effectiveness of Action 23 101
2.5 Priority 5 – Continuing to build the evidence base 104
86.Intention and government commitment 104
87.Completeness of Action 24 105
88.Effectiveness of Action 24 106
89.Intention and government commitment 108
91.Completeness of Action 25 108
92.Effectiveness of Action 25 108
93.Intention and government commitment 109
96.Completeness of Action 26 109
97.Effectiveness of Action 26 109
98.The Evidence Base 111
Overview 111
3.1 Prevalence of Violence 112
99.Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women 113
100.Women with a disability 114
101.Women who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender 114
103.Victims of Family and Domestic Violence, Experimental Data 116
104.Longitudinal studies 119
105.Family Violence Orders 120
106.Police Incidents 121
107.The PSS 122
108.The NATSISS 123
109.Women with a Disability 123
110.Children 124
111.National Crime data 124
3.2 Awareness and Understanding of Violence 125
3.3 Behavioural Patterns and Attitudes to Violence 129
3.4 Awareness of Response and Preparedness to Intervene 131
112.Evaluation of flagship programs 132
4.1 ANROWS 132
4.2 1800RESPECT 136
114.Evaluation Criteria 136
115.Evaluation Findings 137
116.Total Contacts Handled 137
117.Call Answer Time 138
118.Key Concerns 138
4.3 Our Watch 140
4.4 The Line 143
119.Contribution toward the National Plan 148
5.1 Evaluation of National Plan governance arrangements 148
5.2 Evaluation of progress against the outcomes of the National Plan 153
120.Next Steps – Third Action Plan 158
6.1 Emerging issues and areas requiring increased focus in the Third Action Plan 158
Appendix 1: Jurisdictional progress and programs 159
Appendix 2: Consultation method and survey questions 173
Appendix 3: List of stakeholders consulted 177