Media Release December 11, 2025
“NSW Ministers march to end domestic violence, yet continue to block the implementation of the very counselling services that would prevent it in significant areas of concern. They joined the annual Step Out and Speak Out Walk, launching the global 16 Days of activism, but this means little when taxpayer-funded solutions remain inaccessible to prisoners charged with DV offences,” said the Honourable John Dowd AO KC, President of the Community Justice Coalition.
“Domestic Violence Minister, Jodie Harrison, heard the Deputy Corrections Commissioner acknowledge that internal counselling faces a conflict of interest and agree to facilitate external providers. Despite DV offenders being 30% of total remand prisoners, they still do not have access to external counselling through the computer tablets in cells. CSNSW agreed in 2018 to install computer tablets in prison cells to enable external domestic counselling, funded by a $42 million investment in 2019. However, external services have still not been introduced,” said Deputy President, Dr Arthur Chesterfield-Evans.
“External DV counselling has wide political support, including from the DV Minister, Shadow Minister Natasha Maclaren-Jones, Deputy Whip Cameron Murphy, and crossbenchers, Greens Abigail Boyd and Alex Greenwich. Corrections Minister, Anoulack Chanthivong agrees in principle, and, following a national and international consultation about his concerns, I have shown him a clear pathway forward in a recent letter,” said Mr Dowd.
“The Community Justice Coalition’s Cost of Inaction paper (2017) estimated that more than 500 women and children each year ‘could have been spared the traumatic effects of domestic violence’ had online counselling been available. External services overcome the conflict-of-interest issue, aligning with the ‘4 E’s Concept’. This model ensures that Effective trusted counselling is Efficiently delivered using funded mainstream services, and continues to Exist for the offender beyond release while further supporting their Emotional needs to feel part of the mainstream community,” said Dr Chesterfield-Evans.
Community Justice Coalition
info@communityjusticecoalition.org
http://www.communityjusticecoalition.org/
P.O. Box 345, Broadway, NSW 2007 Australia