Following the National Cabinet meeting on 6 September 2024, the Australian Government announced it would commence an audit of key Commonwealth government systems to identify areas where they are being weaponised by perpetrators of family and domestic violence in order to stamp out opportunities for systems abuse.
Too often, perpetrators of family and domestic violence exploit and manipulate government systems to control, threaten or harass a current or former partner. This 'systems abuse' is often part of a pattern of coercive control and financial abuse that perpetrators use to control or punish their victims.
The purpose of the audit is to examine existing government systems to identify areas where they are being weaponised, then consider whether and how these systems are able to be strengthened to improve safety for victims and survivors and prevent further abuse. The work will focus on identifying the highest impact interventions that will make the most difference. It will also have a strong focus on how systems can be improved without creating unintended consequences, so that they are safe and work as intended for all Australians.
The audit will be informed by people with lived experience of this type of abuse, system reform experts, and other key stakeholders to ensure the Government understands system vulnerabilities and how they are or may be weaponised by perpetrators of family and domestic violence. This includes incorporating the views and experiences of people who face additional and intersecting barriers when interacting with systems or seeking support, including a focus on the experiences of First Nations people.
The audit is currently underway across government to identify key system vulnerabilities, their impact on victim-survivors and options for reform. It includes an initial focus on the child support, social security and tax systems but is not limited to these systems. The audit is leveraging existing reviews underway across the Australian Government that seek to strengthen systems. It also will build on existing research and evidence that has indicated where systems are being misused.
The audit is implementing the principles of safety by design, a preventative approach to systems design which aims to ensure safety considerations are holistically considered in the design and operation of systems and prevent abuse before it occurs.
The audit is being overseen by a Secretaries Working Group on Gender-Based Violence, a sub-committee of the Australian Public Service Secretaries Board. The Office for Women in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet is supporting the delivery of the audit in close partnership with Australian Government departments and service delivery agencies.
The audit directly responds to recommendation 16 from the Report of the Rapid Review of Prevention Approaches, which called for an immediate audit informed by safety by design principles. It also aligns to Action 5 under the First Action Plan of the National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children 2022-2032, which includes strengthening systems to better hold perpetrators accountable.
The Office for Women systems abuse project can be contacted at OFW-SystemsAbuse@pmc.gov.au.