Council, agencies commit to preventing family violence

Published on 10 December 2025

Eleven agencies have united to develop an action plan that aims to prevent and reduce family violence across the Gannawarra Shire.

Launched earlier today as part of the last day of the Gannawarra Goes Orange campaign, the Gannawarra Free From Family Violence Action Plan 2025-2029 will strengthen knowledge, skills and capacity of local agencies, organisations, and communities across the Gannawarra Shire to champion gender equality and lead primary prevention initiatives that address the underlying drivers of family violence – gender inequality, rigid gender stereotypes, and cultures that condone or excuse violence, particularly against women and children.

“Reported incidents of family violence in the Gannawarra Shire has increased by 50 per cent in the past four years, with reported incidents increasing to 240 for the year ended 30 June 2025,” Gannawarra Shire Council Chief Executive Officer, Geoff Rollinson said.

“Strong collaborative partnerships are essential to provide clear leadership across our Gannawarra community – to model respect and call out behaviours and cultures that condone or excuse any type of violence, but particularly family and domestic violence, where the data is clear that in 80 per cent of incidents, women are the victims of violence, and in many cases children are present to witness this violence, and we know that this has a lifelong impact.”

The Gannawarra Local Agency Meeting (GLAM), consisting of representatives from Gannawarra Shire Council, Northern District Community Health, Kerang District Health, Cohuna District Hospital, Mallee District Aboriginal Service, and Victoria Police, convened a Gannawarra Free From Family Violence Working Group to develop the four-page document as part of the partnership’s commitment to addressing family violence rates across the Gannawarra Shire.

GLAM representatives worked with Women’s Health Loddon Mallee, Mallee Accommodation Support Program, Mallee Family Violence Executive, Mallee Sexual Assault Unit/Mallee Domestic Violence Services and Department of Education to determine the 26 actions featured in the plan, which include:

• Supporting local schools to embed Respectful Relationships programs into the curriculum.
• Promoting awareness of support services, such as The Orange Door, Safe Steps, 1800RESPECT, and Mallee Domestic Violence Services, and Men’s Helpline.
• Celebrating local women’s achievements and positive male role models.
• Extending the reach of Respectful Relationship principles to sporting clubs and community groups.
• Coordinating and promoting key campaigns, including International Women’s Day, Women’s Health Week, International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT), National Aboriginal and Islanders Day Observance Committee (NAIDOC) Week, Wear it Purple Day and the 16 Days of Activism.
• Building capacity of local leaders to champion gender equality and prevention of gender-based violence.
• Identifying and addressing service gaps for priority populations.
• Advocating to State and Federal governments for safe accommodation and local prevention initiatives.

“The plan recognises the seriousness and the impact that family violence has on so many within our Gannawarra communities and that we all need to work together to call out gender-based violence and encouraging a future where everyone is safe, respected and equal,” Mr Rollinson said.

The launch of the Gannawarra Free From Family Violence Action Plan 2025-2029 also included GLAM partners signing the GLAM Long Paddock Protocol 2025-2029, which recommits each organisation to working in partnership to improve health, wellbeing and safety outcomes across Gannawarra Shire communities.

For more information regarding the Gannawarra Goes Orange campaign or to view the Gannawarra Free From Family Violence Action Plan 2025-2029, please visit www.gsc.vic.gov.au/orange

TOP: Mallee Sexual Assault Unit & Mallee Domestic Violence Services  Regional Manager, Marnya Watson (left), Kerang District Health Chief Executive Officer, Kellie Byron Gray, Senior Sergeant Josh Coombs, Mallee Sexual Assault Unit & Mallee Domestic Violence Services Chief Executive Officer, Leigh Rhode, Gannawarra Shire Council Chief Executive Officer, Geoff Rollinson, Mallee Accommodation Support Program Chief Executive Officer, Charmaine Calis, Gannawarra Shire Council Director Community Wellbeing, Paul Fernee, Gannawarra Shire Council Manager Community Health, Narelle O’Donoghue and Gannawarra Shire Council Coordinator Inclusive Communities, Jodie Hartley at the launch of the Gannawarra Free From Family Violence Action Plan 2025-2029.