QUEENSLAND is to make coercive control a criminal offence by the end of 2023 and examine how police respond to domestic violence.
A four-month commission of inquiry into how police handle DV cases will start on May 30.
The families of victims like Hannah Clarke, who was murdered alongside her three children and Allison Baden-Clay, murdered by her husband in 2012 have pushed for the reform.
Coercive control includes behaviour like isolating a victim from loved ones, monitoring and controlling their activity, financial control, threats, intimidation and emotional or psychological abuse.
“Coercive control is the most common factor leading up to intimate partner homicide,” Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said, announcing the package.
Ms Palaszczuk said an inquiry into police practices was needed “to ensure all women feel confident they’re being listened to.”
The inquiry will address how police assist victims and deal with reports of domestic abuse, that make up a significant portion of policing work.
The state government will spend $363 million on a new package of measures to prevent, identify and punish coercive control offenders, including educational strategies to help identify abusive behaviours.
“We need more education so the community understands what coercive control is so they can identify the signs and take action,” Ms Palaszczuk said.
The offence of stalking will be tightened and $106 million will be committed to protecting victims in court.
The commission of inquiry will be led by Judge Deborah Richards, President of the Childrens Court of Queensland and a Judge of the District Court.
She is also a former crown prosecutor and public defender.
The inquiry was the key recommendation in a landmark women’s safety taskforce report that identified a “widespread cultural issues” within Queensland’s police service.
In the report, the former court of appeal president Margaret McMurdo wrote that many of the people the taskforce heard from felt let down by police and judicial responses to DV.
“I did not expect to hear that women perceived their perpetrators are emboldened by police, legal practitioners and judicial officers,” she said.
“Many feel that the justice system is failing them.”
Queensland Attorney General Shannon Fentiman said the inquiry would find ways to improve how police respond to women who are trapped in an abusive and controlling relationship.
“Hundreds of survivors told their story to the taskforce – we have heard their voices, and we will consider any improvements that can be made,” Minister Fentiman said.
Ten women are hospitalised in Queensland each day due to abuse from their partners.
The parents of Hannah Clarke, who was burned to death in her car with her three children by her estranged partner, believe coercive control laws could have saved the young mum.
Lloyd and Sue Clarke have pushed for the criminalisation of coercive control since their daughter’s death in 2020. They welcome the reforms.
“This is why we fought, especially for Hannah to give our poor angels a voice and make change,” Mr Clarke said.
“We’re also very grateful they’re putting money into education for kids who need to know what a better relationship is like, a healthy relationship and also to the police force.”
The commission of inquiry will also look at the overrepresentation of First Nations people in the criminal justice system and the QPS’s advocacy and conduct of handling complaints.
Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll has pledged her support for the inquiry.
