Media Release: State Budget Must Guarantee Funding to Tackle Gender-Based Violence
State Budget Must Guarantee Funding to Tackle Gender-Based Violence
19 April 2026
Independent Member for Nelson Meg Webb – who will today address a No More Violence Rally on Parliament House – said the Rockliff Government must guarantee adequate resourcing and accessible services for Tasmanians experiencing gender-based violence in the May State Budget, following last year’s dramatic drop in funding.
Ms Webb said a recent report released by Gender Lens Australia reveals the Tasmanian 2025-26 budget had one of the lowest funding rates nationally for women, gender equality and the prevention of gender-based violence (WGEVP) related programs, second only to Western Australia.
“Last year’s budget saw Tasmania’s annual funding of WGEVP commitments fall from 5.4 percent of the total budget to a miserly 0.9 percent,” Ms Webb said.
“This is a shocking failure in light of Tasmania having rates of Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence (DFSV) higher than the national average.
“This failure to prioritise proper resourcing has significant and detrimental consequences for not only specific domestic and family violence services, but also for other areas such as safe and accessible housing, education, health, economic security, and wellbeing of Tasmanian women and girls.
“History tells us in times of budgetary constraints, it is the most vulnerable, including women and girls, who pay the price.
“The Rockliff government must buck that historic trend, and commit to protecting the necessary women, gender equality and the prevention of gender-based violence funding from any state budget efficiencies.”
Ms Webb said Gender Lens Australia states that until all Federal, State and Territory governments annually invest at least 9-12.5 percent on women, gender equality and violence prevention we will not see a reduction in gendered violence.
“Tasmania has a lot of ground to make up from its current dangerously low level of 0.9 per cent to reach even the identified minimum of 9 percent of the overall state budget.”
Ms Webb reiterated her call for a rigorous Gender Budget Impact Assessment to be included in the May State Budget Papers.
“The Rockliff Government failed to provide a Gender Budget Impact Assessment in the November 2025-26 Budget.
“The community, and all State MPs deserve a rigorous and transparent assessment detailing whether and how thoroughly funding decisions have considered intended or unintended impacts on tackling baked-in gender inequalities and gender-based violence.
“Gender-based violence is preventable, but too many Tasmanian women and children face daily barriers to safety, support and justice.
“The Tasmanian Government must play its part in dismantling those barriers, but the wrong decisions in the state budget will only make those barriers higher.”
