Federal funding boost for Northern Territory

The federal government has $10.7 million in funding for domestic violence services in the Northern Territory, a number that was reported weeks after a murder-suicide in Central Australia.

The funding was promised by the previous Coalition government but was not confirmed by Labor.

The territory will get $15.5 million in additional domestic and family violence federal funding over the next two years because of the fact that it will be available ahead of the October federal budget.

The announcement follows a series of deadly domestic violence incidents in the NT, including the deaths of a 30 year-old mother and her baby in outback Central Australia and the death of a 33-year-old woman in a community near Katherine.

According to the federal Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth, the funding would support a wide range of services, including helplines, housing and accommodation, and support for children and men's behaviour change programs.

She said that it's critical that they are receiving the funding needed to keep women and children safe and that there are complexities around delivering support services in remote parts of the Territory.

Ms Rishworth yesterday announced an additional $3 million for domestic and family violence services and youth services in Alice Springs.

The Northern Territory has the highest rates of domestic and family violence in Australia.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics shows that the figures have jumped for the third year in a row.

Federal funding for NT support services continues to be based on population size rather than demand, despite this alarming statistic.

The federal funding boost was the first step towards achieving needs-based funding for the NT, according to NT Chief Minister Natasha Fyles.

She said that the complexities and challenges we have in the territory are far greater than any other jurisdiction.

Ms Rishworth wouldn't commit to a needs-based funding model.

Kate Worden, the NT Minister for Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence, said the territory's high rates of domestic violence illustrate the need for ongoing funding.

The domestic homicide rate is six times more than the national average, she said.