The Queensland Police Service has liaised with the State Government over DV law reform. Photo: Queensland Police Service.
The Queensland Government has empowered police to protect victims of domestic and family violence.
New laws “protect more victims sooner” by allowing the police to issue on-the-spot 12-month protection directions without the need for a court order.
A protection direction is an order that protects victims of domestic violence by stopping someone from approaching another person in their workplace or home, staying in a home previously shared with another person, approaching another person named in the order, such as relatives or friends, and going to the school or daycare centre of a child.
Under previous laws, the police could only issue a five-day protection order before having to go before a judge to obtain a longer-term order.
Between 2012 and 2024, the government said, the number of calls for domestic and family violence incidents increased by 218 per cent, from 60,000 to 192,000, with the glut of calls resulting in wait times ballooning to hours or even days.
Data shows that the average officer response time for a domestic violence incident was 4.6 hours.
From 1 January next year, the police will be able to use these new powers to protect victims and reduce the paperwork required to pursue perpetrators of family violence.
Various stakeholders, such as the Queensland Police Service, the Queensland Police Union and the family violence sector, have been consulted throughout the process of forming the changes.
“The Queensland Police Union tell us 90 per cent of their workload is related to domestic violence and the growing list of unresourced calls for service has reached breaking point,” Minister for Police and Emergency Services Dan Purdie said.
“What this reform means is our police will be able to get to the next victim faster.”
Also among the reforms is a change to the use of video-recorded evidence-in-chief for survivors in an effort to ease trauma on victims during the legal process and to bolster evidence for use in the courts.
The Crisafulli Government will also make good on an LNP promise during the last election to introduce the use of GPS trackers on high-risk offenders, with more than 100 devices to become available from later this year.
Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence Amanda Camm said: “We promised to put victims first and hold offenders to account for the significant amount of domestic and family violence that is happening behind closed doors across this state.
“We must protect victims of domestic violence and we must hold perpetrators of these heinous acts to account, that’s why we are embarking on significant reform.”
Investigations of family and domestic violence will not change under the reforms.
If you are in immediate danger of domestic violence, or someone you know is, contact the police on triple zero (000). For all other DFV-related matters, phone the police on 131 444, 24 hours, seven days a week.
Also, 1800Respect, Australia’s 24-hour national sexual assault, family and domestic violence counselling line, is available on 1800 737 732.
