MEDIA RELEASE 

Assistance to give women a better chance of accessing their fair share of the finances after a relationship breakdown is now available nationally, in an important reform initiated by Women’s Legal Service Victoria.

The Priority Property Pool program provides a simplified process for separating couples, who may not be able to afford a private lawyer, to resolve property disputes valued up to $550,000 (excluding superannuation).

The program has been operating in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne and Parramatta since 2020. An evaluation found the program improved the financial wellbeing of participants, increasing their ability to build financial independence and move on from unsafe relationships.

This program is informed by Women’s Legal’s advocacy and legal assistance work with women going through separation who told us that costly and lengthy court processes often result in women walking away from seeking their share of property settlements.

We also worked with the Court to ensure the Priority Property Pool cannot be used by perpetrators of violence to continue to control, financially damage or abuse a victim.

We are so proud to see our advocacy work result in better outcomes for women, especially victim-survivors of family violence.

Read more about the Priority Property Pool program here.

MEDIA CONTACT: Zoe Edwards | E [email protected]