MILDURA Council has been urged to implement a program that aims to address the scourge of domestic violence “as soon as possible”.
The council was due to pilot the Baby Makes 3 program targeted to first-time parents in 2019-20, however that stalled and eventually ceased due to “a number of significant challenges” culminating in the COVID-19 pandemic.
The program is designed to support new parents to negotiate their gendered roles and identities in their transition to new parenthood with the ultimate aim of contributing to the prevention of violence against women.
Councillors were told that while Baby Makes 3 had been previously identified as being a potentially valuable program for new Mildura parents, it would result in a direct cost shift from state to local government.
Council community general manager Martin Hawson said the minimum cost estimate to deliver a 12-month program was $65,543 based on a 40 per cent participation rate of all new parents and there would be ongoing pressure to continue to fund the program.
However, Cr Cyndi Power said the program had “outstanding merit” to address domestic violence through primary prevention.
“I am firmly of the view that we should proceed with the proposal as soon as possible,” Cr Power said.
“I do appreciate our budget position and the significant COVID impacts on our budget, but I do not think that our community should wait, particularly given the stress that families are under in these very uncertain COVID times,” she said.
“If we can make an impact on the horror of domestic violence, this proposal will be repaid in spades.”
Cr Jodi Reynolds said that if the program saved one family from the tragedy of domestic violence it would be worthwhile.
“It takes long-term commitment, yes, it takes the concerted efforts of multiple organisations and the families who are involved, but it actually doesn’t take that much money and the return on investment is enormous,” she said.
Cr Reynolds said an evaluation report about the program recommended that it be rolled out in every Victorian local government area.
“The report talks about the requirement of staff, how difficult it is to train staff and they might move on, but this isn’t a drawback of the program,” she said.
“What this means is that Baby Makes 3 is building a local workforce and skilled facilitators with expertise in primary prevention of violence against women, something that we simply do not have here.
“The review concludes that any impact of Baby Makes 3 could lead to a reduction in the lifetime prevalence of violence against women.”
Cr Glenn Milne said the cost of the program would be “a wise expenditure” that would help the community “immensely”, while Cr Helen Healy said it was critical that the council was seen to be a leader in the space of prevention against family violence.
Councillors agreed to consider funding the program as part of its 2021-22 budget deliberations at a special council meeting on June 28.
