Brisbane City Council to create a domestic and family violence prevention strategy

Australia’s largest city council will implement a domestic and family violence prevention strategy after all councillors supported an urgency motion from the opposition.

AUSTRALIA’S largest city council will implement a domestic and family violence prevention strategy after it gave its unanimous support to an urgency motion from the opposition.

Former domestic violence lawyer Cr Kara Cook moved that Brisbane City Council condemn all forms of domestic and family violence and implement a citywide strategy to prevent it.

Her motion was unanimously supported by her fellow opposition councillors, the LNP administration, Greens Cr Jonathan Sri and independent Cr Nicole Johnston.

It is highly unusual for opposition urgency motions to be supported.

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Cr Cook founded Australia’s first law firm to specialise in domestic and family violence and was the former principal solicitor at Women’s Legal Service Queensland.

“It would be remiss of us not to acknowledge all the women and children in this city who currently experience domestic and family violence,” she said.

“I’m sure we will seek to ensure they are at the centre of this strategy.”

Cr Kara Cook’s urgency motion that Brisbane create a citywide strategy to prevent domestic and family violence was successful. Picture: AAP/Richard Walker

When it became clear her motion would pass, she suggested an advisory panel with experts in housing, legal services, frontline domestic violence workers and other associated fields.

“We don’t hold the answers, we need to take a co-ordinated approach to this issue,” she said.

Cr Cook’s motion is the first form an opposition councillor to receive the administration’s support this year.

Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said “of course” his LNP councillors were supportive of the motion.

“The reality is we all want to see this problem stamped out in our community. Every individual in this chamber would share that desire,” he said.

“This is about us working together cooperatively to address what is a societal problem.

“Is there a document in one place that points to it all? Not yet. We’re happy to put that together, we’re happy to identify the gaps.”

He said the council already supported many organisations who raise awareness and support those affected by domestic and family violence.

The council also provides paid domestic violence leave for its employees.

Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said “of course” the council supported Cr Cook’s motion to condemn domestic and family violence and implement a strategy to prevent it. Picture: AAP/Richard Walker

Independent Cr Nicole Johnston said the council could start by providing recurrent support to the Women’s Legal Service Queensland, which only has the resources to answer half the calls it receives.

She also called on the council to support Friends With Dignity who help to rehouse women affected by domestic violence.

Greens Cr Jonathan Sri said the council needed to implement meaningful funding in the proposed strategy to provide crisis accommodation to victims of domestic violence to prevent them becoming homeless.