Tuesday's ACT budget will include new funding for anti-domestic violence measures, including a boost to crisis services and education strategies in the territory.
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Chief Minister and Treasurer Andrew Barr will cite tragic deaths in the Canberra community this year as he announces $250,000 in additional funding to expand the capacity of three domestic and sexual violence crisis services.
The Domestic Violence Crisis Service, Rape Crisis Centre and Canberra Men's Centre will share in the funding to handle a spike in demand for crisis assistance.
ACT public schools will benefit from $615,000 in new funding for "social and emotional learning programs" about the importance of respectful relationships, and give children accessible ways to seek support.
As co-ordinator-general, Ms Parker will support all domestic and family violence prevention and response-related work within the ACT government.
The government announced in March the allocation of $300,000 from its confiscated assets trust fund would go to the Domestic Violence Prevention Council. Plans are also underway for a data framework and women's safety grants, with the ACT to contribute to a national campaign to raise awareness about violence against women and children.
Already in 2015, 39 Australian women have been killed by male partners.
The ACT government will make a series of law and order reforms related to domestic violence, including changes to evidence rules, strengthening interim domestic violence orders to ensure they remain in place until criminal charges are finalised, and reforming victims-of-crime assistance schemes to speed up financial help and counselling services.
In 2014, policing attended more than 2800 incidents related to domestic and family violence, resulting in 1984 criminal offences.
The ACT director of public prosecution began criminal proceedings against 425 defendants last financial year, and the Domestic Violence Crisis Service received 33,400 contacts from people living with or escaping violence.
The Victorian government has established a Royal Commission in family and domestic violence and New South Wales will move to establish a register of offenders this year.
