The Economic Abuse Reference Group is an informal group of community organisations which influences government and industry responses to the financial impact of family violence. Our members include family violence services, community legal services and financial counselling services.
The group’s work is focused primarily in Victoria, where the recent Royal Commission into Family Violence made several recommendations for government and industry.
The group is also responding to some national issues, such as banking and insurance, where organisations outside Victoria contribute to the group’s work.
Issues we have, or plan to have, provided input to include banking, insurance, utilities including water, tenancy, and infringements.
Not all organisations contribute on every issue – and other organisations may contribute from time to time. Organisations involved include:
LATEST NEWS
Report on Victorian response to financial abuse
Collaboration between Government, community and business sectors in Victoria have led to significant reforms which improve the economic wellbeing of victim-survivors of family violence. A new report describes developments over the past 20 years including [...]
Auditing the water industry’s family violence response
The Victorian water regulator audits water businesses annually to check compliance with customer services codes. This year's audit, the Essential Services Commission (ESC) will focus on the family violence provisions of the code which must [...]
Good Practice – Requests for Documents
Simplifying customer access to copies of documents relating to their financial service or utility accounts constitutes good service for all customers, and can be very important to those experiencing family violence. See our short guide.
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Local councils lag behind business and govt in responding to customers experiencing vulnerability incl financial hardship & family violence.
A timely article from @BeckyBatagol and Marcia Neave on how the poor lending practices of banks and other credit providers are failing victims of family violence. #bankingroyalcommission https://t.co/Cb5AKb5kXi
There are no national stats on #EconomicAbuse but the findings of the study I worked on @CWASULonMet for @Refuge @CooperativeBank highlight how widespread it is, affecting 1 in 5 people in the general population - 60% of them women https://t.co/PfoVL2C4tY
Providing family violence services in Australia? Here are some things that may help your client's finance issues. https://t.co/NCtWkEC6Di
