Hannah Clarke's parents continue to push for laws to combat coercive control

The parents of murdered Brisbane mum Hannah Clarke will keep pushing for coercive control laws in other states and territories  after Queensland’s parliament passed reforms this week. LIVE POLITICS BLOG 

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA - NewsWire Photos - FEBRUARY 23, 2023. Sue and Lloyd Clarke, parents of murder and domestic violence victim Hanna Clarke, speak during a press conference to discuss the passing of the Domestic and Family Violence Protection (Combating Coercive Control) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2022.Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled

The parents of murdered Brisbane mum Hannah Clarke have vowed to keep pushing for other states and territories to implement laws combating coercive control after Queensland’s parliament passed the first package of reforms this week.

Attorney-General Shannon Fentiman said other jurisdictions were “looking to Queensland” on the work being done on the landmark Hear Her Voice report released by the Women’s Safety and Justice Taskforce in December 2021.

The law changes passed by parliament on Wednesday afternoon ensure a broader range of actions will be captured under the state’s stalking laws and pave the way for coercive control to be made a stand-alone offence by the end of the year.

Hannah’s parents, Sue and Lloyd Clarke, hope this will be achieved before her birthday in September.

Contacting someone in any way using any technology – such as by telephone, SMS, and social networks – will be captured under the widened unlawful stalking, intimidation, harassment and abuse laws.

Tracking or surveilling a person’s movements without their consent have also been captured under the new laws.

This could include checking someone’s internet browsing history, reading their text messages, tracking someone by drone, or monitoring another person’s emails.

The definition of domestic and family violence will also be widened under the reforms so that it takes into account a pattern of behaviour over time.

Attorney-General Shannon Fentiman (inset) said the new laws were a “significant step” towards the government’s commitment to legislating against coercive control.

“We know how dangerous these behaviours can be,” Ms Fentiman said.

“This is about identifying and responding to the red flags of coercive control earlier before blue police tape surrounds another family home.”

Sue and Lloyd Clarke are expected to travel to South Australia this year to lobby the Labor government there to introduce coercive control legislation.

Ms Fentiman said the laws passed on Wednesday were “a fantastic first step in making sure we can better protect women (and achieve) national consistency”.

Originally published as Hannah Clarke's parents continue to push for laws to combat coercive control

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