Coercive control criminalised as state pledges $363m to fight DV

Coercive control will be criminalised, police practices probed and domestic and family violence courts  expanded under a historic $363m State Government plan to better protect Queensland women against domestic violence.  

Coercive control will be criminalised in Queensland as part of a historic $363 million investment to better protect women against domestic violence.

 

The Palaszczuk government this morning announced the major reforms following Justice Margaret McMurdo’s landmark Women’s Safety and Justice Taskforce’s first report Hear Her Voice that was handed down in December.

Along with better support for women, a commission of inquiry will be held into police practices while there will be an expansion of the domestic and family violence courts. 

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk addresses the floor during question time at Parliament House. NewsWire / Sarah Marshall

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said coercive control was the most common factor that lead to "intimate partner murder".

"It was what Hannah Clarke suffered before she and her three children were so brutally killed,'" she said. 

"The $363 million package I announce today will provide programs to recognise and prevent it as well as the laws that will punish its perpetrators."

Justice McMurdo's taskforce received more than 700 submissions from women and girls who shared their experiences of domestic and family violence. 

"As a result of those submissions, we will also conduct a commission of inquiry into police practices investigating reports of domestic and family violence," the Premier said. 

"In addition, the police service will trial a collaborative co-response model involving police and specialist DFV services working together in a number of locations.

"A key focus will be recognising coercive control and a pattern of behaviours over time."

Ms Palaszczuk said $106 million will be invested in improving safety for victims attending court.

"We will expand specialist DV courts," she said.

 "There will be more support for victims and a special strategy for First Nations communities."Above all we will hear her voice."

The Taskforce's second report will be handed to government next month. 

Vanessa Fowler, who is Alison Baden-Clay's sister and who is the co-chair of the government’s taskforce, was sitting in parliament this morning for the announcement. 

She was joined by her parents Geoff and Priscilla Dickie.

Sue and Lloyd Clarke, Hannah Clarke's parents, were also in the House. 

Attorney-General Shannon Fentiman said the $360m reform package was “historic”, saying it would fundamentally transform the system so that it is “trauma-informed” and puts survivors at the forefront.

“We know that non-physical violence is just as dangerous as physical violence, and that coercive control is the biggest predicting factor for intimate partner homicide,” she said.

“Queensland women and children deserve to live free from the threat of violence without fear for their safety.”

Ms Fentiman said laws would be amended, which would include modernising the offence of stalking.

She also said the changes would go beyond law reforms to include the expansion of specialist DV courts, increasing funding for perpetrator programs, and expanding high-risk teams.

“In our government response ... we agree with the recommendation of the taskforce to implement their recommendations in a four phased approach to ensure that we are both reforming the criminal justice system, and educating the community and training first responders,” Ms Fentiman said.

The Attorney-General said the system’s current approach of responding to a single, usually physical incident of domestic violence would change so that it will instead respond to patterns of controlling behaviour over time.

Originally published as Coercive control criminalised as state pledges $363m to fight DV

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