Opinion: Why new police DV powers are a step in the wrong direction

While we support measures that will improve police efficiencies and boost capacity, we will never support the use of PPDs, writes Aimee McVeigh.

Queensland Council of Social Service CEO Aimee McVeigh

May is Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Month.

With a premier staking his leadership on reducing victim numbers, and a minister with a deep personal commitment to the issue, Queenslanders should expect action on domestic violence that is genuinely geared toward making real change.

The domestic and family violence sector is a willing partner of any government committed to the safety and wellbeing of women and children and real accountability for people who use violence.

We’re keen to engage with the government, police and victim survivors to ensure reform will genuinely fix a system that is heaving under pressure.

However there are significant resourcing issues that need to be addressed to properly respond to domestic and family violence in Queensland.

It is clear the Queensland Police Service does not have the capacity to respond to the increasing violence in our state.

This is one of the reasons police protection directions are being introduced in Queensland.

While we support measures that will improve police efficiencies and boost capacity, we will never support the use of PPDs.

The well-established issue of police regularly misidentifying men as the person most in need of protection in domestic and family violence incidents means that the use of PPDs will further diminish the safety and wellbeing of women and children.

To complement increasing police capacity, more investment in services and programs that prevent violence, work with people who use violence, support children and young people, women’s refuges, healing and recovery services and First Nations-led programs is urgently needed.

The Queensland Police Service play an essential role in responding to domestic and family violence and there are many officers who are dedicating their life’s work to ending violence against women and children.
There are excellent examples of collaboration with the domestic violence sector, including through co-responder models where DV workers and police officers work closely together.

Against this background of a state that is crying out for change and a sector and police service that is not resourced to respond appropriately, we are calling on the Queensland government to focus their attention on working closely with the system rather than introducing changes that will diminish our ability to build a safer Queensland.

Aimee McVeigh is CEO of the Queensland Council of Social Service

Originally published as Opinion: Why new police DV powers are a step in the wrong direction