LNP candidate for Hinchinbrook Annette Swaine labels Nick Dametto’s comments on domestic violence as ‘dangerous’

Hinchinbrook MP Nick Dametto has responded to criticism, accusing people of ‘cherry picking’ his comments on domestic violence after facing fresh backlash from LNP candidate Anette Swaine, who called his views ‘ignorant’ and ‘foolish.’

Leader of the Opposition David Crisafulli announces LNP candidate for Hinchinbrook Annette Swaine, The Courier-Mail Bush Summit, Townsville. Picture: Liam Kidston

Hinchinbrook MP Nick Dametto has responded to criticism, accusing people of “cherry picking” his comments on domestic violence after facing fresh backlash from LNP candidate Anette Swaine, who called his views “ignorant” and “foolish.”

Mr Dametto recently came under fire for remarks made on a podcast, where he said that domestic violence cases consume significant police resources and implied that when communities were allowed to “self-govern,” the situation may have been better.

Despite the criticism, he stands by his comments, claiming they were taken out of context.

Anette Swaine, LNP’s candidate for Hinchinbrook, said as a former Queensland Police Service officer of 19 years, she had seen first-hand the impacts of domestic violence.

She said his comments that police are spending time sorting out domestic violence issues because people can’t sort out stuff for themselves are “ill-informed and antiquated.”

“In my view, Mr Dametto’s desire for the return of so-called “self-regulation”, where family members supposedly went around “sorting-out” alleged DV perpetrators, is as shocking as it is ignorant,” she said.

Nick Dametto. Picture: NewsWire / John Gass

“For far too long domestic and family violence has been kept hidden behind closed doors. We cannot go back to that time. We must continue to bring this deplorable behaviour into the light.”

She said given his role as an elected member, his comments were ‘foolish and dangerous.’

“The Katter Party must make clear if this return to keeping family violence hidden behind closed doors is their policy,” she said.

Mr Dametto’s comments received harsh criticism from numerous groups around Australia including Townsville Zonta Club.

“To suggest that women experiencing violence do not need the support of the Queensland Police Service, and instead should contact friends of family is dangerous rhetoric,” the club wrote in a letter published in the Townsville Bulletin on September 2.

Mr Dametto told the Townsville Bulletin he stand by his comments and said they were taken out of context.

“I stand by the comments I made during podcast where I was questioned about my thoughts on our nation changing and softening over time,” he said.

“There is no doubt in my mind that the cherrypicked sound bite of the comments I made on domestic violence were taken out of context by the ABC and used to create a personal character assassination on me during an election campaign.”

Hinchinbrook MP and KAP Deputy Leader Nick Dametto.

“It doesn’t surprise me that the LNP candidate is now joining the pile on, even if it is late.”

Mr Dametto said Queensland domestic violence system is broken.

“ … Now more than ever we should be having an open an robust conversation about how to fix this escalating problem,” he said.

“The current system isn’t working but no one wants to admit the system is broken.”

Stating the shared goal to reduce the amount of harm, and for people to stop hurting their partners and family members, Mr Dametto said with DV on the rise he has worked with police, domestic violence victims and organisations.

“There is possibly a multitude of reasons some domestic violence victims don’t speak up, I’m sure some of them don’t do so because they don’t feel supported or protected by the current DV system,” he said.

In response to Ms Swaine’s view that Mr Dametto’s is calling for the return of “self-regulation”, he said the KAP does not have a policy position on self-regulation.

“At no time during the podcast did I say this was mine or the party’s position, my observation was that society used to self-govern to a point with limited intervention.”

Originally published as LNP candidate for Hinchinbrook Annette Swaine labels Nick Dametto’s comments on domestic violence as ‘dangerous’