Ovens Murray Community Service Sectors Unite for Powerful Premiere of Unanswered Calls 

October 2rd 2025

The event, hosted by the Ovens Murray Child and Family Services Alliance, Ovens Murray Family Violence Partnership, Ovens Murray Mental Health and Alcohol Drug Alliance, and Ovens Murray Homelessness Network, brought together practitioners and leaders who work every day to improve outcomes for children and families.

More than 110 professionals from across the Ovens Murray region gathered for the local premiere of Unanswered Calls, a confronting and deeply moving documentary amplifying the voices of children and young people living with family violence.

This was not just a film screening. It was a call to action.

In a room filled with passionate, skilled, and deeply committed professionals, the shared energy was unmistakable: we can and must do more to ensure that every child is safe, heard, and protected.

The premiere featured insights from Unanswered Calls contributors, including family violence advocate Rosie Batty AO, Commissioner for Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Micaela Cronin, and Victoria’s Principal Commissioner for Children and Young People, Liana Buchanan.

Kath Kerin, Chair Ovens Murray Child and Family Services Alliance and Acting CEO of UMFC, reflected on the film’s message and its challenge to the sector. “Every child has the right to be safe, heard, and protected. Unanswered Calls amplifies these rights and urges us all — individuals, organisations, and communities — to listen more deeply and advocate more strongly. The Sector Alliance’s message is clear: we must strengthen our shared responsibility for healing and recovery, and ensure the voices of children and young people are not only heard, but embedded and acted upon in everything we do.”

Laura Shortis, Executive representative Ovens Murray Mental Health and Alcohol Drug Alliance, and CEO of NESAY, described the gathering as both powerful and unifying. “The event was a powerful reminder of what can be achieved when our region comes together with a shared purpose. The collective insight on display demonstrates how deeply committed we are to listening to young people and strengthening the systems that support them to improve their experience when they seek support.”

For Jaime Chubb, Chair of the Ovens Murray Family Violence Partnership and CEO of the Centre Against Violence, the film highlighted an urgent truth. “As we work to ensure that young people are seen and supported as victim survivors in their own right, we must continue to recognise that they face their own distinct challenges, experiences and long-lasting impacts of being part of a family where violence, control, fear and instability are a constant presence.”

Claire Anderson, Chair of the Ovens Murray Homelessness Netwrok and Transitional Services Manager at NESAY, highlighted the significance of the turnout. “The strong attendance was a clear demonstration of our collective commitment to children and young people, and the value of collaboration in driving meaningful change.”

The event was more than a screening. It was a showcase of regional strength and collaboration. Local services delivered short, TED-style talks, highlighting the crucial work happening across Ovens Murray and the shared belief that we are stronger together.

Through Unanswered Calls, the region was reminded of the courage of children and young people who continue to speak up despite fear and trauma, and of the responsibility all adults hold to respond with compassion, belief, and action.

Supported by the Victorian State Government, the event reaffirmed a powerful truth: when communities unite around the well-being of children and young people, real change becomes possible.

Claire Anderson Chair Ovens Murray Homelessness Network, Jaime Chubb Chair Ovens Murray Family Violence Partnership, Kath Kerin Ovens Murray Child and Family Services Alliance and Laura Shortis Executive representative Ovens Murray Mental Health Alcohol Drug Alliance

The Ovens Murray Child & Family Services Alliance acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work and live.

We celebrate the diversity of Aboriginal peoples and their ongoing cultures and connections to the lands and waters of Ovens Murray area.

We pay our respects to Elders past and present and to their children and young people who are our future Elders and caretakers of this land.

We support diversity and inclusivity and welcome all people to our service, regardless of race, religion, gender or sexuality.