The Department of Justice and Attorney-General has developed a Fourth Action Plan to tackle domestic and family violence.
The Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Council is to be extended over the next four years with the aim of driving further cultural change and supporting the delivery of the action plan.
Releasing the plan, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the issue of domestic and family violence had been brought out from behind closed doors and more than $1.3 billion had been allocated to services, programs and strategies to address “this scourge on society”.
She said the extended term of the Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Council would allow it to support reforms, including the strengthening of legislation to criminalise coercive control.
Under the Fourth Action Plan, reforms will work to increase awareness and appropriate responses to all forms of domestic and family violence.
The plan will prioritise culturally safe and trauma-informed responses to keep people safe at all stages of their life, and ensure domestic and family violence responses are integrated, holistic, specific and effective.
It will also deliver initiatives that actively address perpetrating behaviour and increase perpetrator accountability.
Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Shannon Fentiman said the Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Council would include an increased number of First Nations members, and an increased number of members with lived experience of domestic and family violence.
“It’s important the Council reflect all of the communities it serves — to build on momentum, and better deliver for groups of people more likely to be impacted by domestic and family violence, and who face greater challenges accessing appropriate support,” Ms Fentiman said.
The Department’s Fourth Action Plan towards ending domestic and family violence can be accessed at this PS News link.
