Minister for Finance
Minister for Women
Minister for the Public Service
Minister for Government Services
Senator The Hon Katy Gallagher
Minister for Social Services
Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme
The Hon Amanda Rishworth MP
Attorney-General
Cabinet Secretary
The Hon Mark Dreyfus KC MP
Joint media release
The Albanese Government has tabled the Australian Law Reform Commission's (ALRC) inquiry into justice responses to sexual violence report and announced a $21.4 million package to strengthen support for victims and survivors.
Victims of crime don't always have faith that the justice system will deliver justice - 92% of women chose not to go to the police after they were sexually assaulted, and for those who do, up to 85% of sexual violence reports made to police do not progress to a charge.
The Albanese Government is working to end gendered violence and help deliver justice for victims of sexual assault. The Government initiated the ALRC inquiry to examine how the experience of victims and survivors of sexual violence in the justice system can be improved, including by examining relevant laws and legal frameworks, justice sector practices, support services and transformative approaches to justice, while maintaining the central right to a fair trial.
The report: Safe, Informed, Supported: Reforming Justice Responses to Sexual Violence, found there are systemic barriers to reporting sexual violence and engaging with the justice system. When victims and survivors do engage in the justice system it often causes further harm or re-traumatisation.
The Albanese Government is taking important early actions to build on work already underway, with announcements today focused on piloting specialist, trauma-informed sexual assault legal services in every state and territory.
The Government will invest $21.4 million over three years from 2025-26 to address barriers to access to justice for victims and survivors of sexual violence, including:
- $19.6 million over three years to extend the current three specialist trauma-informed sexual assault legal services in Victoria, Western Australia and the Australian Capital Territory, and nationally expand the pilots to include one in each jurisdiction. This will include trialling new non-legal services recommended by the ALRC including culturally safe Justice System Navigators and supporting access to restorative justice pathways.
- $0.6 million in 2025-26 to engage academic experts to address systemic reasons for the withdrawal of complaints, scope an independent complaints mechanism to seek review of police decisions not to pursue charges, and conduct a review of supports provided during the police investigation phase.
- $1.2 million over two years from 2025-26 to expand and extend the scope of the ALRC's Expert Advisory Group to advise on implementation of the ALRC Inquiry report, including advice from victim and survivors to states and territories through the Standing Council of Attorneys-General.
Justice System Navigators are appropriately trained people who will support victims and survivors of sexual violence to access any chosen justice pathway. For those victims and survivors who choose to pursue a criminal justice pathway, the Justice System Navigator will provide individual advocacy and support in initial and ongoing interactions with police, prosecutors, the court and related systems.
The ALRC's report makes clear that reform is complex and will take careful consideration. We need to make sure the system can deliver justice to victims while maintaining the central right to a fair trial. Many of the report's recommendations are the responsibility of states and territories.
The Government is carefully considering the report's recommendations and will work closely with states and territories, experts and people with lived experience through the Expert Advisory Group to consider a longer-term response.
The report and initial response today is an important part of improving access to justice for victims and survivors of sexual violence, a key objective of the National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children 2022-2032 .
It complements initiatives under the Standing Council of Attorneys-General Work Plan to Strengthen Criminal Justice Responses to Sexual Assault 2022-2027 and forms part of the Government's broader commitment to end gender-based violence and achieve gender equality as outlined in Working for Women: a strategy for gender equality .
The final report and further information are available from the ALRC's website .
Quotes attributable to the Minister for Women, Senator the Hon Katy Gallagher:
"Far too many women experience sexual violence in their lifetime, and for many, their experience with the justice system can only add to that trauma.
"This report from the ALRC is an important step towards ending that cycle of trauma.
"We will continue to work hand in hand with victim-survivors, advocates, and states and territories on the next steps from this report, but this announcement also increases access to services right now - ensuring women can access the more support when they need it.
Quotes attributable to the Minister for Social Services, Amanda Rishworth MP:
"Through the National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children 2022-2032, the Albanese Labor Government is committed to driving reforms to improve justice responses to all forms of gender-based violence.
"We are working to ensure victim-survivors have better experiences and get better outcomes from their engagement with the justice system - so people impacted by violence can achieve justice and people using violence and abuse are held to account.
"We welcome the findings and recommendations of the ALRC and will carefully consider how they may help us achieve our goal of better protecting victim-survivors."
Quotes attributable to Attorney-General, the Hon Mark Dreyfus KC MP:
"Seeking justice should not add to the trauma experienced by victims and survivors.
"Victims and survivors of sexual violence deserve to have confidence that they will be safe and supported to report these crimes. At the same time, it is vital the right to a fair trial be preserved.
"I thank the ALRC for its hard work conducting this inquiry and to all those who contributed to it, especially the victims and survivors who generously shared their lived experience in order to improve outcomes for others."
