In a move that will hit our most vulnerable young people, Court Services Victoria (CSV) confirmed yesterday that conciliation conferences are facing abolition in the Children's Court of Victoria.
As the Allan Labor Government slashed the budget of CSV by $19.1 million this year, the vital frontline work of 34 Conciliation Conference Unit staff is set to be axed as a cost-saving exercise.
A leaked CSV internal document "Change Proposal: Children's Court of Victoria" confirms the rationale for the proposed mass sacking is "the present fiscal environment in which all Victorian public sector entities are operating…"
The Conciliation Conference Unit service, which resolves well over 40 per cent of cases each year, allows parties to work collaboratively in a non-adversarial manner to find the best way to safeguard the needs of vulnerable children.
The proposed cuts would slash 34 jobs, with mediation instead sent to what lawyers describe as an 'adversarial' and time-limited alternative dispute resolution hearing.
It would also require the cessation of 'shuttle' mediation, where an abused individual is afforded the ability to not interact directly with their abuser.
Shadow Minister for Child Protection, Roma Britnell, said: "Cutting this service will impact abused children at their most vulnerable time.
"This service is a collaborative tool to intervene in situations of abuse and provide the support these children need and cutting it would be a devastating blow.
"Lawyers and child protection workers are worried the move will lead to worse outcomes for children in already vulnerable situations."
Shadow Attorney-General, Michael O'Brien, said: "Any child who has had their case successfully settled through this service is one less who must go through the trauma of an adversarial hearing in Victoria's already backlogged court system.
"Due to its own financial mismanagement, the Allan Labor Government is up to its eyeballs in debt and is now ripping money from our justice system.
"Labor cannot manage money, cannot manage our courts and vulnerable Victorian children are paying the price."
