Hannah Clarke’s parents hope to see coercive control laws spread nationally

Hannah Clarke’s shattered parents have launched a passionate plea to make coercive control laws national five years on from the tragedy.

Queensland Minister for Child Safety Amanda Camm with Lloyd and Sue Clarke and their son Nat during a press conference in Brisbane. Picture: Supplied Premiers Office

It’s been five years since Sue and Lloyd Clarke lost their daughter in a horrific murder that shattered Queensland, now her parents are urging other states to make coercive control a criminal offence.

Their daughter Hannah and grandchildren Aaliyah, Laianah and Trey were murdered on February 19, 2020, when Hannah’s ex-partner unleashed all his evil and killed the innocents he sought to control.

Following the tragedy, the pair founded Small Steps 4 Hannah foundation, and hope its legacy will see coercive control laws spread nationally.

“Tasmania is doing very well, (but) they don’t have stand-alone laws,” Ms Clarke said.

“NSW have a stand-alone coercive control law, Victoria thinks they’re good enough, and we’re pushing the other states and territories now.

“Our legacy isn’t going to stop here. We’ve got to get this nationally.”

Mr and Ms Clarke alongside their son Nathaniel, Minister for Child Safety and the Prevention of Domestic Family Violence Amanda Camm and Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner have planted trees in memory of Hannah.

Hannah Clarke and little Trey.

Mr Clarke hopes the trees will bring “yellow butterflies” to the park.

“The day after it all happened, there was just butterflies everywhere, yellow butterflies,” he said.

“But five years ago, and around this time now, the quiet streets of Camp Hill must have sounded like a war zone.

“There was so many sirens, so many first responders who were called out that day, and I know that it’ll be hard for them every year, what they had to endure that day, and I hope that they are well and moving on.”

But Ms Clarke has revealed that they will be stepping back from the foundation.

This comes as the pair revealed to the Sunday Mail they have plans to put their Brisbane home on the market and relocate to the Sunshine Coast.

“We’re not moving out of Brisbane yet. The Foundation is running very well at the moment, and we’re concentrating on our education pieces, and they’re both running well on their own without Lloyd and mine input,” she said.

Ms Camm credited the work Sue and Lloyd have done with the foundation including making coercive control a criminal offence that will come into effect on May 26.

Queensland Minister for Child Safety Amanda Camm with Sue Clarke during a press conference in Brisbane. Picture: Supplied Premiers Office

“The platform of tragedy they were given, and how they’ve taken that and they’ve used that to embark upon one of the biggest changes to legislative reform for domestic and family violence in our state...will save lives into the future,” Ms Camm said.

This comes as Queensland Sentencing Advisory Council’s latest damning report shows domestic violence murders and manslaughters made up about 25 per cent of cases since 2016, sparking calls from experts for more to be done to protect victims.

“When I look at more broadly, some of the breach data that occurs, for example, in Cairns, they have a record number of breaches across the state, and they, at the moment, are struggling with the police resourcing to go out and investigate each of those breaches,” Ms Camm said.

“Every time a police officer can’t investigate that is a victim who is potentially at risk.”

Ms Camm said she has received reports from victims of offenders released from corrections reoffending.

“[To] ensure that we hold perpetrators to account, and the best way we can do that is ensuring that they have a program that is part of whether it’s their sentencing or whether it’s them returning to community, because otherwise we’re just seeing the revolving door of perpetrators going through our system,” Ms Camm said.

Ms Camm said police have undertaken significant training in regards to coercive control.

“Policing has come a long way in our state, and I think really, that is because of tragic circumstances like the loss of Hannah, when first responders are confronted with what was such a horrific act of violence,” Ms Camm said.

The Queensland LNP government has promised reform of the domestic violence system, and recently ordered a review of prominent domestic violence support centre, DV Connect, off the back of concerns calls were going unanswered.

The state government has also committed to rolling out GPS trackers for high-risk DV offenders, and has set up a working group with domestic violence victims to identify gaps in the system.

Originally published as Hannah Clarke’s parents hope to see coercive control laws spread nationally