SA parliamentary committee makes 35 recommendations to address domestic and family violence.

CONFRONTING video evidence of victims taken at the time of a domestic violence assault, including from police body-worn cameras, should be allowed as evidence in court cases, a parliamentary committee is urging.

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VIDEO evidence of victims taken at the time of a domestic violence assault, including from police body-worn cameras, should be allowed as evidence in court cases, a parliamentary committee is urging.

Reporting today following months of hearings, the committee also wants the Government to reconsider creating a specific offence of domestic violence.

Parliament’s Social Development Committee — now chaired by former Status of Women Minister Gail Gago — has been gathering evidence from victims, advocates, police, academic experts and other authorities on the extent of domestic and family violence in South Australia.

Its final report today made 35 recommendations.

Current Status of Women Minister Zoe Bettison said the Government would “closely examine” the report and “continue to take strong action against this heinous crime and ... put an end to the attitudes that permit and excuse violence against women”.

Giving evidence to the committee late last year, South Australian Chief Magistrate Judge Mary-Louise Hribal called for changes to the Evidence Act to allow prosecutors to use video interviews with domestic violence victims, taken immediately after an assault, in trials to ensure more abusers are convicted.

Judge Hribal conceded there would be “a lot of pushback” to the idea of using such police evidence at trial but said it would benefit victims.

Deputy Chief Magistrate Dr Andrew Cannon showed members of the committee a video of a police interview with a woman who has bruising on her face, chest and arms, and distributed photos “showing graphic injuries to a woman”.

Today the committee recommended the Attorney General amend the Evidence Act to enable evidence taken from a victim by police, using body cameras at the time of the domestic abuse incident, to be admissible as evidence when the substantive charges come to trial.

The committee is also urging Attorney-General John Rau to investigate amending the Criminal Law Consolidation Act to include a specific crime of domestic violence.

Currently, domestic violence-related attacks are recorded by police as aggravated assaults.

The State Government has faced growing pressure from crisis centre workers, academics and from within its own ranks to more specifically label domestic and family violence offences.

Mr Rau has so far rejected calls for more specific domestic violence offences but wants authorities to “tag” abusive incidents in criminal records to better understand the extent of the problem.

The committee also recommends:

IT be made illegal to discriminate against someone because violence at home is affecting their work performance and extend extra annual leave to such workers.

CONTINUING to fund the Multi-Agency Protection Service which brings together police, health, education, child protection and corrections authorities to respond to high-risk domestic violence cases.

LOBBYING for consistency of intervention orders, to protect victims, across state borders.

MORE funding for crisis accommodation and child-specific services.

BETTER training for magistrates and court staff, including security officers, dealing with people attending court for domestic violence cases, and for medical professionals such as GPs.

REVIEWING the impact of planned court closures on domestic violence victims.

INCREASING interpreter services.

THE State Government only fund or sponsor programs or events which portray women in a respectful way.