Meeting papers

SERVICES & ORGANISATION COMMITTEE MEETING                                   10 SEPTEMBER 2024


5.2     LOCAL GOVERNMENT DOMESTIC AND FAMILY VIOLENCE PREVENTION
        CHAMPIONS NETWORK


Author            Community Development Coordinator, Cheryl Pattison
                  Community Services Department
Index             10.04 Community Development
Attachments        1.   Letter from Domestic and Family Prevention Council


EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This report provides an introduction to the Local Government Domestic and Family Violence
Prevention Champions Network and seeks endorsement for three members from Noosa Council as
representatives on the LGDFVP Champions Network.

RECOMMENDATION
That Council note the report by the Community Development Coordinator to the Services &
Organisation Committee Meeting dated 10 September 2024 and:
      A. Endorse Noosa Council’s recommitment to the Local Government Domestic and Family
         Violence Prevention Champions Network; and
      B. Appoint Councillor < > and two staff members (from Community Development and People
         and Culture teams), as Noosa Council’s representatives to the Network.


REPORT
The Community Development team has been successfully collaborating with local social service
organisations, including Sunnykids, Youturn, and the Salvation Army to provide services aimed at
preventing and raising awareness about domestic and family violence. These strong partnerships
have contributed to creating a safe and inclusive community for vulnerable residents. Additionally,
Council has been working internally to increase awareness and understanding of family and
domestic violence to support staff.
The Queensland Government established the Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Council to
support greater community understanding about domestic and family violence and to challenge the
values, beliefs, attitudes and behaviours that trivialise, excuse or perpetuate this abuse.
Working at the primary prevention level, the Prevention Council partners with government, business
and community stakeholders to champion local community-led action and leadership in creating
social change. Through enhanced education, understanding and place-based responses, the
Prevention Council supports all Queenslanders to play their part in ending domestic and family
violence.
The Local Government Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Champions Network was formed
by the Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Council and the Local Government Association of
Queensland to support local government authorities in leading a place-based response to domestic
and family violence in the workplace and across communities and to promote the sharing of practice,
learnings, resources, and tools. This highly effective form of primary prevention which relies on
shared understanding and consistent messaging, is essential to bringing about the grass-roots shift
in attitudes and behaviour required to achieve cultural change to prevent domestic and family
violence.

In 2022, following a presentation by members of the Prevention Council, then Mayor Clare Stewart,




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