Talei Elu to lobby for improved DV checks after former partner and Cape York leader Dion Creek sentenced for assault

A former Queensland Young Australian of the Year has bravely demanded government appointments be vetted for domestic violence after surviving a harrowing abusive relationship with a disgraced Cape York leader.

Queensland Young Australian of the Year, Talei Elu. Lyndon Mechielsen/The Australian

A former Queensland Young Australian of the Year has bravely demanded government appointments be vetted for domestic violenceafter surviving a harrowing abusive relationship with a disgraced Cape York leader.

Talei Elu personally read out parts of her victim impact statement to the Cairns Magistrates Court on Tuesday where Creek – a former Torres and Cape Hospital and Health Service Board member and former chief executive officer of the Cape York Land Council – was sentenced to 15 months jail on three assault occasioning bodily harm charges.

Cairns Magistrate James Morton commended her bravery during the sentencing.

Outside court, Ms Elu said she was sharing her name and experience to advocate for change and better vetting of domestic violence history for leaders of government organisations, particularly those associated with health and social and emotional wellbeing.

Queensland Young Australian of the Year Talei Elu, 30 is calling for changes in the recruitment of government roles following the sentencing of Dion Creek. Picture: NADC/Salty Dingo

She said Creek’s then-position as chief executive of Cape York Land Council gave her the impression he was a trustworthy person, which made his violence and coercive control even more difficult to comprehend.

“I am asking to see if there is a way for leaders for government organisations and government funded organisations, particularly those involved in social and emotional wellbeing health and domestic violence organisations, to have the leadership of those organisations vetted more thoroughly, and to have access to those records related to domestic violence,” Ms Elu said outside court.

“Cape York Land Council and the TCHHS relieved him of the positions as soon as the charges were laid so they obviously don’t want individuals like this representing them.

“If they had known, would they still have invited him to join or offered him the position? And I think the answer would be no.”

Former chief executive of the Cape York Land Council Dion Creek, and Ms Elu’s former partner.

Ms Elu said she had drafted a letter of submission to the Queensland Government’s Justice, Integrity and Community Safety Committee, and had organised a meeting with a Member of Parliament to discuss changes to the screening practices and policies.

During the sentencing proceeding, the court was told Creek had a history of violence that included entries in 2009 and 2015.

In December 2024, he was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment for stalking and assaulting his former partner in 2019.

Outside court, Ms Elu said domestic violence orders were made in a civil jurisdiction and did not necessarily appear in a person’s criminal history, something she knew from experience as she said she had viewed Creek’s criminal history in the past.

Her victim impact statement, which was tendered to the court was described as “comprehensive”, and documented the manipulation, coercive control and its effects in a 12-page, 4000-word statement.

Ms Elu read out the first and last pages to the open court:

“I want to share with you the profound impact of the actions of the man who stands before you today.

“While some may view the sentence as being solely about the physical assault that Dion Creek inflicted upon me that night, the reality is far more complex.

“For those of us who have survived domestic violence, the physical violence is often the accumulation of months, if not years, of manipulation and coercive control.

“Indeed in my relationship, this is what I experienced – manipulation and coercive control that eroded my sense of self and affected my mental health long before that night.

Former Cape York Land Council chief executive Dion Creek was sentenced for assault at the Cairns Court house. Picture: Brendan Radke

“The events I am sharing today reflect the profound and enduring impact of Dion Creek’s actions, not only on me personally but on my family, my workplace and my community.

“It also reveals systemic failures that allows him to rise to positions of power and influence despite a documented history of harm.

“I refuse to let these experiences define me as a victim.

“Instead, they strengthened my resolve to ensure that no one has to endure what I have faced.”

“I’ll be advocating for reform for stricter vetting of leaders of funded organisations, and for systems that prioritise the safety of all, especially the most vulnerable.

“Today’s judgement should not only hold Dion Creek accountable for his actions, but send a clear and resounding message that such behaviour has no place in our society, that those who harm others will face consequences, and that systems will no longer enable harm to continue unchecked – justice is about more than punishment.

“It is about accountability, prevention and ensuring a safer future for everyone – for my daughter, for my community, and for all those who cannot speak for themselves, I stand here today, determined to make a difference.

“We should not have to live in fear – in fear for our lives by those who are meant to provide love and care.”

Originally published as Talei Elu to lobby for improved DV checks after former partner and Cape York leader Dion Creek sentenced for assault