Tamworth Family Support Services are celebrating the opening of their brand-new women’s and children’s residence, purchased with the assistance of a $316,005 grant from the NSW COVID-19 Sexual, Domestic and Family Violence Infrastructure Program.
Nationals Member for Tamworth Kevin Anderson lauded Tamworth Family Support Services for their commitment to the safety and wellbeing of women and children.
“Tamworth Family Support Services provide our community with a critical social service by providing that safety net for the most vulnerable in our community,” Mr Anderson said.
“The acquisition of this property adds to the service’s portfolio of infrastructure that is critical for the work they do and I am thrilled that Tamworth Family Support Services were successful in obtaining this grant from the NSW Attorney General.
“A troubling impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has been a rise in domestic violence. I have no tolerance for perpetrators and strongly believe that they deserve to be punished swiftly and to the full extent of the law.
“However, it is also critically important that we have infrastructure and wrap around services to ensure that the most vulnerable in our community do not end up back in the vicinity of the perpetrator.
“This is about protecting the rights, safety and confidentiality of the victim-survivor and I thank Tamworth Family Support Services for the important work they do in protecting the most vulnerable in our community.”
The opening of the new residence comes after the NSW Nationals in the state government announced a record $500 million investment for extra refuges for women and children fleeing homes.
“The NSW Government is committed to increasing family support services in rural and regional NSW and I look forward to meeting with Belinda Kotris of Tamworth Family Support Services to develop a strategy to help ensure that we can tap into this record investment,” Mr Anderson concluded.
