The Minister for Community Development, Cassy O'Connor MP, today welcomed the release of the National Plan to Reduce Violence Against Women and Their Children - First Action Plan 2010-13 - National Implementation Plan.

Ms O'Connor said Tasmania was the first state to endorse the first National Implementation Plan, which builds a strong foundation for strengthening our national response to violence against women and children.

The National Implementation Plan outlines how the Commonwealth Government, along with all state and territory governments and the community, will work together to lay the groundwork for the future and deliver on the key national priorities under the National Plan to Reduce Violence Against Women and Their Children.

"The plan includes establishing a National Centre of Excellence, which will bring together existing research, as well as undertake new research on family violence and sexual assault.  Other actions include developing national standards for perpetrator programs, benchmarks for work on primary prevention and providing support for frontline staff."

Ms O'Connor said Tasmania had made considerable progress in developing a complementary Tasmanian Implementation Plan while awaiting the release of the national plan.

"A consultative group representing a range of community organisations has been convened to provide input into the Tasmanian Implementation Plan," Ms O'Connor said.

"The Tasmanian community identified family violence and sexual assault as a major concern through the Tasmania Together process in 2001. 

"Since then, the Tasmanian Government has introduced a criminal justice response to family violence through the Family Violence Act 2004 and supporting response system, Safe at Home.  It also funds a range of counselling and support services for both family violence and sexual assault victims.

"While these responses have helped victims of family violence and sexual assault in Tasmania, they have not reduced these forms of interpersonal violence significantly.

"A key component of the Tasmanian Implementation Plan will be the development of a primary prevention strategy to reduce violence against women and children.

"Primary prevention is a long-term strategy and the Tasmanian Government is committed to reducing violence against women and children."

The First National Implementation Plan is available at http://www.fahcsia.gov.au/our-responsibilities/women/programs-services/reducing-violence/the-national-plan-to-reduce-violence-against-women-and-their-children