Police review of domestic violence cases gains political support

THE deaths of Samantha Fraser, Joy Rowley and Karen Ristevski have fuelled support in Victoria for a review of how police handle domestic violence cases in the hope of saving lives.

VICTORIA’S political leaders have backed a review into the handling of family violence murder cases.

In the wake of the alleged murder of Phillip Island mum-of-three Samantha Fraser and a string of other tragedies, Premier Daniel Andrews yesterday backed a call from Coroner Sara Hinchey to examine how such cases were dealt with.

MURDER OF RYE’S JOY ROWLEY SPARKS CORONER CALL FOR POLICE REVIEW

PHILLIP ISLAND COMMUNITY WANT MORE WOMEN’S SUPPORT SERVICES AFTER SAMANTHA FRASER’S DEATH

KAREN RISTEVSKI MURDER TRIAL: THE CASE AGAINST BORCE RISTEVSKI

Women tie a white ribbon to a tree in Cowes in tribute to murder victim Samantha Fraser. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

“The least we can do is to learn from each one of these tragedies in the hope that changes can be made and that lives can be saved in the ­future,” Mr Andrews said.

He said family violence was the top law-and-order challenge for Australia, and the work to end it would never stop.

Ms Hinchey pushed for murder cases where there was a known history between a victim and a perpetrator to be reviewed after handing down her findings into the 2011 death of 60-year-old Joy Rowley.

Victoria Police confirmed it would review such cases.

Opposition Leader Matthew Guy said domestic violence was a “great scourge on our society” and anything to combat it was “absolutely spot on”.

Last Thursday, a man was charged with murdering Ms Fraser, while Borce Ristevski was committed to stand trial for murdering his wife, Karen, in 2016.

Ms Hinchey released her findings into Ms Rowley’s death the same day. Ms Rowley was found dead in her Rye home in October 2011.

Her former partner, James Mulhall, was sentenced to 19 years’ jail after pleading guilty to her murder. Police recorded a number of domestic violence incidents between the couple, and Mulhall was facing related charges at the time of the murder, Ms Hinchey said.