Tough domestic violence laws passed in State Parliament

NEW laws which will see domestic violence perpetrators spend more time in jail and victims given greater protection through the court process have been passed by State Parliament.

Domestic violence

NEW laws which will see domestic violence perpetrators spend more time in jail and victims given greater protection through the court process have been passed by State Parliament.

The laws were fast-tracked in response to a spate of shocking violent incidents including the deaths of two women on the Gold Coast.

The maximum penalty for breaches of domestic violence orders will increase and offenders will now have a special note on their criminal record indicating which offences are domestic violence-related to more easily identify repeat offenders.

Attorney-General Yvette D’Ath said the laws were about sending a message that the community would not stand by and allow domestic and family violence to take place.

“These measures send a clear message to domestic and family violence offenders in Queensland — we do not accept this conduct in our communities and we do not shy away from holding you to account,” Mrs D’Ath said.

Mrs D’Ath said the laws would increase maximum penalties for first-time breaches of DVOs to three years jail and subsequent breaches up to five years jail.

She said victims will now also be given “special witness” status when giving evidence in court proceedings.

“The legislation will ensure domestic violence-related offences can be recorded by the court on a person’s criminal history to reveal repeated family violence offending,” Mrs D’Ath said.

“This will help our judges and magistrates to become aware of repeat or problem behaviour before it escalates.

“The independent Family and Domestic Violence Death and Advisory Review Board will help to identify possible gaps in support services and seek to prevent deaths occurring into the future.”

But she said the laws were just the beginning with more changes to come before the House later this year as the government works to implement 121 recommendations of the Not Now, Not Ever report.

Meanwhile, more than 100 people have gathered in Brisbane to stand up against domestic violence.

The red rose rally, held at Queens Park, is raising awareness for the victims of domestic violence, particularly those who have been killed.

The Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, Opposition Leader Lawrence Springborg and Queensland Police Commissioner Ian Stewart, including several other MPs arrived at the service.

DVConnect chief executive officer Di Mangan said the rally was in response to the “collective sense of horror” after several fatal incidences.

“For us, it’s just one more reason why we have to do something about domestic violence,” she said.

Around 23 deaths relating to domestic violence have already occurred this year.

She said calls to the support service had doubled in the past month with the rate of calls continuing.

Premier Palaszczuk said she had taken on the task of implementing the recent “Not Now, Not Ever” report recommendations.

“Together we come together as one community ... Politics to the side,” she said.

“We have to do more as a community to stamp out domestic violence.”

She said the issue had to be addressed at a local and state level.

“We must respect one another and the way we treat women in our community has to change,” she said.

“Now is the time to take action.”

Opposition leader Lawrence Springborg said police and support groups did a good job but more needed to be done.

“It doesn’t matter what we do at the highest level ... It’s about attitudes towards relationships.”

Queensland Police Service commissioner Ian Stewart said police did not always get it right when it came to responding to domestic violence.

“Most of the time, when it gets to us we are dealing with the consequences... We try our absolute best. We don’t always get it right and for that I apologise,” he said.

He said 200 times a day, police had been called to deal with issues related to domestic violence.

“It sounds enormous but that’s the truth of it,” he said.

He said it was important for political leadership to come through to show a united front.

“I don’t remember... an issue that has brought the whole of the parliament to a stop and brought them here and say this is not good enough,” he said.

“When you hear the hurt, passion and the lose families have suffered, our hearts go out to them.”

He said police put themselves in complex and dangerous circumstances.

“We need the community’s help to report these incidences,” he said.

Originally published as Tough domestic violence laws passed in State Parliament