Skye Kakoschke-Moore (SA, Nick Xenophon Team) Share this | Hansard source

My question is to the minister representing the Minister for Social Services, Senator Ryan. 1800RESPECT is the National Sexual Assault and Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service. Rape and Domestic Violence Services Australia, RDVSA, is a national specialist not-for-profit service for women, men and children who experience sexual assault and family violence. RDVSA was funded to provide the 1800RESPECT line trauma-counselling service since the line's inception, in 2010, until last year, when the federal government redirected funding to a for-profit company.

A triage service is now in place, which sees callers directed to Medibank Health Solutions first and then to a trauma counsellor at RDVSA, requiring the victim to retell their story. MHS has reportedly predicted a doubling of profits from such call services and the government has increased funding to MHS rather than fund direct services, such as counsellors. Why is the government allowing a company to profit from a service provided to victims of rape and domestic violence?