Hannah Clarke’s parents welcome Qld domestic violence reforms

The parents of Hannah Clarke have welcomed a raft of domestic violence reforms announced today, saying it may have saved the lives of their daughter and her three young children.

The parents of murdered woman Hannah Clarke say the historic raft of domestic violence reforms may have saved the lives of their daughter and three grandchildren.

An emotional Sue and Lloyd Clarke fronted media after watching the announcement of a $363 million domestic and family violence reform package in Parliament on Tuesday.

Asked if the proposed law changes would have saved Hannah and her children – Aaliyah, Laianah and Trey – Ms Clarke said: “I’d like to think so.”

“People would have believed her, validated what she said,” Ms Clarke said, saying she believed Hannah was “very lucky” in her dealings with police.

Lloyd and Sue Clarke at State Parliament today to witness the historic reforms. Picture: Sarah Marshall/NCA NewsWire

“She had a wonderful policewoman that she dealt with who believed her and helped her understand what she was going through,” she said.

“She (Hannah) didn’t understand, so we’ve been very lucky like that, but they still need a lot of education to help.”

Lloyd Clarke said the package was “a good start” to much needed law reform on coercive control, and would finally “give their four angels a voice.”

He highlighted the importance of educating young people on healthy relationships and the need for additional funding for Queensland’s under-resourced police force.

“We’re so grateful that they’re actually going to make coercive control law, it’s something we’ve been pushing for,” he said.

“We’re so happy that they’re also putting money into education for kids who need to know what a better relationship is like, a healthy relationship, and also to the police force.

“Hopefully it will make things a lot better and a lot stronger for the police.”

Allison Baden Clay’s sister Vanessa Fowler said the community had come a long way on the issue of domestic violence since her sister’s death. Picture: Tara Croser.

The Clarke’s were joined by Vanessa Fowler Co-Chair the Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Council and sister to Allison Baden-Clay, who called the “historic” package a “major step forward for us as a society.”

“There was much emotion in the gallery when the premier made the announcement about coercive control,” Ms Fowler said.

“I certainly think it is a historic moment. I think that over the last 10 years since Allison’s death, we really have come a long way and that people now recognise that domestic violence is not just physical.

“The package will go a long way to help a lot of those frontline services who are here today that have been, you know, screaming out for support for community housing and support on the front line.”

But Mr Clarke said Hannah’s family wouldn’t rest until the laws were in place, with the coercive control Bill targeted to be introduced to parliament by 2023.

“We’ll be a lot happier once that’s done,” he said.

Former police commissioner and co-chair of the Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Council Bob Atkinson said police were overwhelmed with domestic callouts and the package had enormous potential and would “undoubtedly” save lives.

Hannah Clarke and children

He said at least one woman was murdered in Australia every week, and 10 admitted to hospital daily.

“One hundred and twenty thousand calls for service last year, it’s (domestic violence) the biggest area of workload that they (police) had,” Mr Atkinson said.

“The vast vast majority of domestic violence perpetrated by men against women. We need to do is change the attitudes, values, beliefs and behaviours of those men towards women.

“That won’t happen overnight. But I think this is a very, very significant step in the journey to achieving that.”

He said prevention strategies would play a major role in tackling domestic violence, but stressed that social momentum for change must continue.

“Whilst it’s important to respond, and to prosecute people, if we can prevent these things happening in the first place, how much better is that,” he said.

“This was something that wasn’t known about, there wasn’t awareness… legislation to address domestic violence only came into existence in 1989.

“So this has been a long journey, and it’s still got a way to go. We can’t afford to lose the momentum that exists.”

MAIN POINTS

The State Government has accepted all 89 recommendations of the Hear Her Voice report of the Queensland Women’s Safety and Justice Taskforce.

It will now:

* Establish a four-month independent commission of inquiry to examine widespread cultural issues within the Queensland Police Service relating to domestic and family violence issues

* Criminalise coercive control by 2023

* Consult on the creation of an independent Queensland Judicial Commission that responds to complaints about judicial officers and provides for their professional development

* Design, establish and resource a statewide network of perpetrator intervention and behaviour-change programs

* Ensure Respectful Relationships education programs in all schools and youth detention centres

* Trial ‘co-responder’ models staffed with police and specialist domestic violence workers

* Modernise and strengthen stalking laws for domestic violence victims

* Consider cross orders for DVOs together so that one order is made favouring the person most in need of protection

* Have a respondent’s criminal history provided to court in DVO applications

* Write a statutory code of conduct for private investigators to stop their use to exacerbate domestic violence

* Refer defences and excuses for murder for independent review

* Consider whether to expand the Dangerous Prisoners (Sexual Offenders) Act, which allows for a person’s continuous imprisonment, to dangerous violent offenders

* Establish a non-public disclosure register of serious domestic and family violence offenders by 2024