I am pleased to present the annual report of the Department of Human Services (DHS) which provides an insight into the ways we have supported people in our community when they have needed support the most.
The past 12 months have been both challenging and productive, with a major focus for the department being the Royal Commission into Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence. This work has involved one of the most comprehensive consultations in our state’s history. To support this vital work, the Office for the Prevention of Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence was established within the department, tasked with managing cross‐government coordination, responding to information requests, and providing support to non-government organisations to engage with the Royal Commission.
The Office for the Prevention of Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence led the development of the whole-of-government response to the Royal Commission, outlining key themes and areas of inquiry. In the year ahead, the Office will assist in the coordination of the Government’s response to the final recommendations of the Royal Commission, and support the implementation of reforms informed by the Commission’s findings.
The South Australian Government remains committed to addressing all forms of domestic, family and sexual violence, demonstrated by its decision to legislate and criminalise coercive control. Following extensive public consultation and engagement, the Criminal Law Consolidation (Coercive Control) Amendment Bill 2024 was introduced to Parliament by the Minister for Women and the Prevention of Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence in August 2024. The Bill criminalises patterns of behaviour that a reasonable person would consider to have a serious controlling impact on a partner, where the intention is to control or cause apprehension or fear in that person.
A key ongoing focus for our department is supporting individuals and families. I am pleased the 2024-25 State Budget included increased funding to assist households on low or fixed incomes with cost of living pressures. Initiatives included doubling the Cost of Living Concession for tenants and Commonwealth Seniors Health Care Card holders to match that of homeowners, broadening eligibility for public transport concessions, and increasing access to subsidised glasses, funerals and emergency electricity payments. These reforms were implemented in two stages, commencing 1 July 2024 and 1 January 2025, respectively.
We have sustained our commitment to supporting Aboriginal people from rural and remote communities across South Australia through ongoing leadership of the Safety and Wellbeing Taskforce. Efforts include continued support for the Safer Place to Gather at Edwards Park in the Adelaide Park Lands, assertive outreach by DHS’s multi-disciplinary Remote Visitor Outreach Team, and helping remote Aboriginal people return to their home communities through the statewide Return to Country program.
The department also played a key role in establishing the Port Augusta and Davenport Community Alliance Group, which champions Aboriginal and community-led decision making in the implementation of the Port Augusta and Davenport Community Safety and Wellbeing Plan.
Throughout the past year, we progressed the development of a new State Disability Inclusion Plan in consultation with people with disability, State Government agencies and local councils. With the initial State Plan now complete, DHS released a draft of the new plan for public consultation in April and May 2025. Feedback from this process shaped the final version, with guidance from the Disability Minister’s Advisory Council. The new State Plan will align with the SA Autism Strategy 2024-2029 and complement key initiatives such as the NDIS Review, Australia’s Disability Strategy 2021-2031 and the Disability Royal Commission.
To ensure the Kurlana Tapa Youth Justice Centre is a safe and secure environment for young people in custody, we have commenced upgrading the centre’s electronic security infrastructure. The Government has allocated $5.4 million over two years to address security concerns, including the installation of new CCTV cameras, body scanners and an x-ray baggage scanner.
Through the Office for Women, the department supported the Gender Pay Gap Taskforce in completing its final report, which provides recommendations to the Government on addressing the factors contributing to the gender pay gap in South Australia. The Taskforce presented its final report to the Minister for Women and the Prevention of Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence at its concluding meeting on 25 November 2024, with recommendations currently under government consideration.
The 2024-25 financial year was also marked by an expansion of the department’s role and objectives due to machinery of government changes. Effective 1 July 2024, Office for Ageing Well and Homelessness Services were transferred to DHS.
Office for Ageing Well focuses efforts on supporting older South Australians to age well, with work currently underway on the development of the next state ageing well plan in partnership with government, non-government, community organisations and older people.
Responsibility for Homelessness Services was transferred from the South Australian Housing Trust to enhance the Government’s ability to address the complex needs of people experiencing, or at risk, of homelessness. To achieve this, the department designed terms of refence for the Homelessness System Review, and tendered an independent review team to commence this work in August 2025. This review will work to inform future commissioning that is agile, flexible, responsive and culturally safe.
The department has continued to lead on efforts to build a stronger system of child and family support in South Australia, to keep children safe and well with families, community and culture. We have been taking active steps to build a system that is preventative, evidence based and trauma informed. Highlights have included the strengthening of cultural governance, improved service responses for families with complex disability and the expansion of Child and Family Safety Networks to remote areas. Sector support has continued to be delivered through the Communities of Practice, with an emphasis on best practice to engage dads and men who use violence.
Through these efforts, coupled with a dedicated workforce and sector, emerging evidence is now showing that the Child and Family Support System is helping families stay together. Each year, the department’s Intensive Family Services supports around 2,600 children, achieving a 95.5 per cent family preservation rate (over a 12 month follow up period).
Other notable achievements during the past 12 months include:
- Releasing South Australia’s initial response to the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability and later the first interim report on progress.
- Progressing the Screening Transformation Program to improve the provision of screening checks for workers and volunteers across South Australia.
- Hosting the eSafety and Image-Based Abuse (IBA) Roundtable on 21 May 2025, to raise stakeholder awareness and understanding of IBA as a gendered form of sexual violence, as well as facilitated critical conversations around primary prevention.
- Commencing implementation of South Australia’s Youth Action Plan 2025-2028, which aims to promote fair and equitable access to opportunities, resources and support for young people.
- Launching the refreshed Volunteering Strategy for South Australia 2021-2027 and a three-year action plan, which align with the new National Strategy for Volunteering.
- Conducting targeted stakeholder consultation on proposed amendments to the Carers Recognition Act 2005 to strengthen carer supports and recognition in South Australia.
- Commencing the development of an Autism Action Plan for State Government agencies under the SA Autism Strategy 2024-2029.
- Launching the ‘Spot the Harm. Stop the Harm.’ media campaign to communicate to the South Australian community that gambling harm can impact mental health, relationships, work and overall wellbeing.
- Developing the new Community Transport SA program model following engagement with the South Australian community transport sector.
Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all staff members, particularly our frontline service workers, for their dedication and commitment in delivering services that improve the wellbeing and safety of South Australians.
Sandy Pitcher
Chief Executive
Department of Human Services