Sydney’s only daytime women’s refuge has a policy that it will never turn anyone away. For 25 years, Lou’s Place has been a safe haven for the city’s most vulnerable and terrified women, many of whom are on the run from violent partners. For plenty of those years, Lou’s Place has also been pleading for state government support. A conga line of premiers and ministers have toured the Redfern refuge, applauding the centre for the incredible work it does in keeping thousands of women alive.

Domestic violence services across the state, especially in regional NSW, can barely keep their doors open.Credit: Kate Geraghty

Ten staff members plus almost 100 volunteers keep the place running. Each day, at least 40 women walk through Lou’s doors. Most are – or have been – victims of domestic abuse. It is a struggle to keep the refuge afloat but the board of Lou’s Place has admirable prowess when it comes to fundraising. Lucky, because guess how much state government funding the refuge receives.

Zero. Not a cent. Despite being a referral centre when other government services are full (which happens disturbingly often), Lou’s Place is forced to fend for itself. General manager Mandy Greaney only wants $300,000 to cover more domestic violence support workers. She rightly describes it as a “paltry” amount, but that does not seem to matter. Other than the odd grant, Lou’s Place keeps missing out, told that the state government already funds other refuges offering the same services. But keep up the good work, anyway.

Lou’s Place is just one example. Domestic violence services across the state, especially in regional NSW, can barely keep their doors open. In some towns, refuges do not exist, although we know domestic violence most certainly does. The crisis confronting the nation is not new, but the horrific death of Molly Ticehurst in Forbes on April 22, only days after five women were brutally stabbed to death at Bondi Junction, has reinforced to all that we are failing dismally.

Amid the calls for law-and-order fixes and royal commissions, the NSW Labor government has an immediate and powerful lever at its disposal. It will involve breaking an election promise to balance the budget, but the GST carve-up and slashed federal infrastructure spending has ended that anyway.

Mandy Greaney, general manager of Lou’s Place, wants $300,000 for the refuge to cover more domestic violence support workers.

The state government has the backing of the powerful union movement and the collective national anger at women being killed to use its June budget to take real action on tackling domestic violence.

It must invest significant money, and likely go into the red, to fund the services and education that experts have been demanding for decades. NSW trails well behind Victoria on domestic violence investment. After its 2015 royal commission, which followed the murder of Rosie Batty’s son Luke by his father, Victoria accepted it must spend money to save lives.