The Ministry of Justice has announced that a specialist domestic and family violence court to be established in Brisbane will help vulnerable Queenslanders navigate the justice system.
Attorney-General, Shannon Fentiman said $19.7 million over four years had been allocated to roll-out the specialist court that would deal exclusively with domestic and family violence (DFV) matters.
“This model ensures victims attending court can have confidence the experience won’t further traumatise them,” Ms Fentiman said.
“It means people who experience DFV are supported through the legal system, instead of getting lost in it.”
The Attorney-General said additional funding had also been allocated to upgrade the Brisbane Courthouse, improving victim safety and ensuring facilities were modern and functional.
“Brisbane has one of the busiest Magistrates’ Courts in Queensland, dealing with a high volume of DFV matters, so the community will benefit from this specialist service,” Ms Fentiman said.
“In 2020-21, the court dealt with almost 1,900 applications for domestic violence orders and more than 2,200 charges of contravening a domestic violence order.”
She said specialist domestic and family violence courts were first trialed in Queensland in 2015 and currently operated in Southport, Beenleigh, Townsville, Mount Isa and Palm Island.
A new specialist DFV court is also to be established in Cairns.
“Specialist courts are shown to be effective in prioritising the safety of victims, holding perpetrators accountable and working to promote changes in attitudes and behaviour,” Ms Fentiman said.
“The Queensland Women’s Safety and Justice Taskforce’s Hear Her Voice report supported the model, recommending an expansion of the program,” she said.
