WA Premier, Roger Cook, has announced $14.8 million in funding to expand family and domestic violence accommodation for victim-survivors around the state, including in Midland, Broome, and Albany.
The announcement coincides with this year’s 16 Days in WA – Stopping Family and Domestic Violence campaign and brings the State Government’s new investment to more than $600 million dollars since 2017.
“This significant funding package to expand refuges and crisis accommodation demonstrates the Cook Government’s ongoing commitment to building safe and inclusive communities by supporting victim-survivors of family and domestic violence,” said Mr Cook.
“I am confident that this investment will make a real difference to those services who continue to support vulnerable women and children.
“The State Government has boosted refuge capacity by 41% since 2017 – and with today’s announcement we are now delivering an additional 102 units around the State.”
A new $3.7 million refuge in Midland will provide five new crisis accommodation units and support for women and children, allowing them time to heal, recover and thrive as they start to build a new future for themselves.
The refuge service will be delivered by Indigo Junction, a not-for-profit organisation with a long-standing commitment to supporting vulnerable families and individuals in the Midland area.
“Refuges and safe houses are a proven service response for victim-survivors of family and domestic violence,” said Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence Minister, Jessica Stojkovski.
“They provide immediate physical safety and stability while they reclaim their lives and time to heal, recover and thrive as they start to build a new future for themselves.
“These initiatives will increase crisis and transitional accommodation around Western Australia and form part of the Cook Government’s broader commitment to strengthening responses to family and domestic violence.”
In addition to crisis accommodation services, the new refuge will offer advocacy, safety planning, and information to help victim-survivors begin their journey to recovery.
Indigo Junction also operates the well-regarded Koolkuna Refuge and has been providing place-based responses to family and domestic violence and homelessness for more than 45 years.
In Broome, the State Government is investing $4.2 million to establish a new family and domestic violence refuge by upgrading and repurposing Catherine House to create an additional six supported places for women and their children.
This investment will provide a safe haven for victim-survivors, ease pressure on the existing Broome Family and Domestic Violence Refuge and ensure the West Kimberley community has access to safe and trauma-informed accommodation while longer-term refuge infrastructure is developed.
In Albany, Southern Aboriginal Corporation have been allocated $6.9 million for the construction of six additional self-contained units to complete a 12-unit site design. The service, which will be operated by Anglicare WA, is expected to support up to 166 women and children annually in safe, private and trauma-informed accommodation.
The funding boost brings the number of additional beds for victim-survivors of family and domestic violence delivered by the State Government since 2017 to 91, with 102 more in the pipeline.
In Kalgoorlie, the Government has also awarded a $2.14 million to refurbish 16 units to ensure they are fit for purpose for transitional accommodation, with further funding allocated by the Commonwealth Government via a $780,000 Safe Places grant to improve security at the site.
Additional State Government funding of $876,000 over three years commencing 1 July 2026 has also been allocated for the delivery of an additional Safe at Home program for the region, to provide support for women and children staying at the new units.
