Loddon Mallee residents will have access to more efficient and affordable dispute resolution services following the launch of the Dispute Settlement Centre of Victoria in the region, Deputy Premier and Attorney-General Rob Hulls said today.
Mr Hulls launched the Loddon Mallee Dispute Settlement Centre in Bendigo as part of the Brumby Labor Government's Bendigo Region Community Cabinet.
He also launched the new Appropriate Dispute Resolution website, ‘Reaching Agreement’, which meets community demand for advice on how to deal with neighbourhood disputes.
Mr Hulls said the Loddon Mallee centre was the fifth regional centre to be opened as part of the Brumby Labor Government’s $17.8 million expansion of appropriate dispute resolution services.
“The DSCV provides an alternative to costly court processes through mediation, providing advice on resolving the most common types of neighbourhood disputes, and organising face-to-face mediation sessions for various cases,” Mr Hulls said.
Mr Hulls said the Loddon Mallee service will also be the first to offer dispute resolution services to the Koori community through a Koori Dispute Assessment Officer based at the Mildura Justice Service Centre.
“Dispute resolution is offered on the basis of local solutions based on local knowledge in response to local needs and in Loddon Mallee we will provide relevant solutions to meet the needs of the Koori community in Mildura,” Mr Hulls said.
To date in 2009-10, DSCV has settled over 1400 matters, including 747 that went to mediation, and provided advice more than 16,000 times across Victoria for matters such as inappropriate behaviour, fence disputes and common property issues.
“The DSCV’s panel of highly skilled mediators will play a significant role ensuring the region’s communities continue to stay connected,” Mr Hulls said.
Mr Hulls said the new dispute resolution website provided users across the state with one-on-one style video coaching on communicating, negotiating, and reaching agreement.
“The website raises public awareness of DSCV’s services and provides user-friendly advice and options for resolving disputes,” Mr Hulls said. “It is a useful first port of call so that individuals are more prepared than ever in preventing disputes from escalating.”
The website is available at www.disputes.vic.gov.au/reachingagreement
DSCV regional mediation services are also established in the Gippsland, Hume, Barwon South West and Grampians regions.