Dame Quentin Bryce hands down domestic violence report

A specialised domestic violence court and a new criminal offence of non-lethal strangulation are among the recommendations handed down by former governor-general Dame Quentin Bryce.

The report, Not Now, Not Ever: Putting an End to Domestic and Family Violence in Queensland, was commissioned by then-premier Campbell Newman last year, who asked Dame Quentin to head a special taskforce to combat the problem.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk receives Dame Quentin Bryce's report into domestic violence, Not Now, Not Ever: Putting an End to Domestic and Family Violence in Queensland.Credit: Cameron Atfield

Dame Quentin presented the taskforce's findings to Mr Newman's successor, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, at Parliament House in Brisbane on Saturday.

Dame Quentin said her taskforce, which had received clear bipartisan support, had been deeply moved during its travels across Queensland.

"We are all alarmed by the statistics – they are shocking – but they do not do full justice that we have heard about from survivors," she said.

"Their stories could have come from war zones. Stories of women brutalised, raped, beaten, controlled, isolated.

"These violent actions are not the actions of civilised people and they will not be tolerated."

Among the 140 recommendations in the report, which has been published in full online, was the establishment of specialised domestic violence courts.

"Alarmingly, women frequently told us that the workings of the law and the justice system only served to further traumatise them," Dame Quentin said.

"The legal system is complex and it's incredibly overwhelming for vulnerable women.

"Magistrates, police and lawyers need to do better and the justice system needs an overhaul."

Ms Palaszczuk said the idea of a specialised court had "merit", but it, along with the other recommendations, would have to be discussed at a cabinet and parliamentary level before they were adopted.

Legislative changes, such as a new criminal offence of non-lethal strangulation, were also recommended.

"Strangulation is often a precursor to domestic homicide and a clear indication of escalation of violence," Dame Quentin said.

Central to the report, Dame Quentin said, was flexibility in approaches to combat domestic violence.

"What works for a remote indigenous community will be different from Cairns, Charters Towers or here in Brisbane," she said.

Ms Palaszczuk said the government would respond to the report in the coming months.

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