The Australian Government has made changes to functions overseen by the Attorney-General's Department and Department of Home Affairs. These changes involve the transfers of:

  • identity and biometrics functions into the Attorney-General's Department
  • protective security policy and government and major event security functions to the Department of Home Affairs.

Specialist domestic violence assistance

The Australian Government provides funding for legal assistance providers to deliver a number of specialist family and domestic violence legal services. These services help women affected by family and domestic violence who may otherwise be unable to access the support they need.

Family Advocacy and Support Services

Each Australian state and territory legal aid commission has a Family Advocacy and Support Service. The service combines free legal advice and support at court for people affected by domestic and family violence.

Find more information, including contact details, at the Family Violence Law Help website.

Domestic violence units and health justice partnerships

Domestic violence units provide tailored legal assistance and other holistic support. They can assist clients to access services such as:

  • financial counselling
  • tenancy assistance
  • trauma counselling
  • emergency accommodation
  • employment services.

The following providers operate specialist domestic violence units:

Some of these providers also operate health justice partnerships. Through these health justice partnerships, lawyers and health professionals work together to assist women experiencing domestic violence. Lawyers work at hospitals and health centres to ensure women can access legal assistance in a safe location. They also train health professionals to recognise when women have legal problems related to domestic violence.

Learn more about health justice partnerships at the Health Justice Australia website.

Pilot program evaluation

Social Compass completed an evaluation of the pilot program of specialist domestic violence units and health justice partnerships in February 2019.​​