Police union calls for Premier to take DV ’seriously’ and front cash for speciality police stations

A frustrated Queensland Police Union president Ian Leavers has called for Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk to take domestic violence seriously and immediately fund a specialised police station trial.

A frustrated Queensland Police Union president Ian Leavers has called for Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk to “take domestic violence seriously” and immediately fund a specialised police station trial.

Ms Palaszczuk this afternoon responded with “of course I will” after a journalist told Mr Leavers at a press conference that she’d been told the opposite.

Mr Leavers held a press conference today where he welcomed recommendations by Deputy State Coroner Jane Bentley for a year-long trial in Logan or Kirwan (Townsville) for a “multidisciplinary specialist domestic violence police station” with police, support workers, representatives from various government departments and a lawyer.

The recommendation for a one-stop-shop police station came at the end of the inquest into the horrific domestic violence murders of Hannah Clarke and her children Aaliyah, 6, Laianah, 4 and Trey, 3.

Lloyd and Sue Clarke talk to the media after the Coroner has handed down her findings in to the deaths of Hannah Clarke and her three children following a two-week inquest.

“It should be funded immediately,” Mr Leavers said, adding that trials should be conducted in both Kirwan and Logan, where domestic violence was a terrible problem.

“We need to protect vulnerable people, women and children now.

“We cannot afford to wait for six or eight weeks while they discuss where the funding will come from or whether or not we can find the money.”

Mr Leavers said he estimated the trial would cost $20 million and said it needed to be funded outside of the police budget, which had already been committed.

But one journalist at the conference said she had spoken to Ms Palaszczuk’s office “just before” who had said “at this stage, there’s no new funding”.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk

“Can I say, I am bitterly disappointed that as a result of (an integrity) report handed down this week, all the Ministers and the Premier said they would implement it lock stock and barrel – but when it comes to protecting and saving lives, they are unsure whether they can commit to it or fund it,” Mr Leavers said.

“This is absolutely unacceptable.

“Hannah Clarke’s parents, Lloyd and Sue, they should never have had to have gone through this.

“Hannah and her kids should still be with us.

“We cannot let this happen (again). The Premier needs to take this seriously. She needs to fund it on top of the existing budget.”

A statement Ms Palaszczuk noted that $363 million had already been dedicated to fund initiatives recommended by the Women’s Safety and Justice Taskforce, including co-responder initiatives, perpetrator interventions and funding.

Asked whether the State Government would fund the specialised police station trial outside of the Queensland Police Service budget, Ms Palaszczuk said: “Of course I will.”

Ms Bentley’s recommendation called for a trial of a police station staffed by police (including a detective to investigate criminal offences), a specialist domestic violence support worker, a child safety officer, an employee from the Department of Housing and one from the Department of Health and a lawyer to provide advice to police and victims.

“When it comes to saving lives, Premier, fund this lock stock and barrel,” Mr Leavers said.

“And let’s treat this seriously.”