Queensland police to be granted power to issue instant year-long domestic violence orders

ABC NEWS (Australia)

Police will be given sweeping new powers to clamp down on domestic and family violence offenders. Under legislation introduced into Queensland parliament. But advocates say the changes are not cantered around protect victim-survivors.

Transcript

00:00Reforms Hannah Clarke's parents say could prevent anyone else going through the horror

00:08they've endured.

00:09It should have been a line in the sand when we lost our family.

00:12We should not have any more murders happening.

00:14And this hopefully may help to slow it down.

00:17New legislation will give police powers to issue on the spot 12 month protection directions

00:23to domestic and family violence perpetrators.

00:26It means offenders who commit an act of domestic violence in that time against the aggrieved

00:31can face up to three years in jail.

00:34Currently, officers can only deliver a five day notice before going to a judge for a longer

00:39term.

00:40This is about giving police the tools that they need to ensure that more victims are protected,

00:46that victims are protected in a timely manner and that perpetrators are held to account.

00:51The legislation provides no additional protections for victim survivors.

00:56What it does is save police paperwork.

00:58Amy McVie is concerned about the increased power handed to officers.

01:03The Queensland Police Service is continually and regularly identifying men as the person

01:10most need of protection when in fact they are the perpetrator.

01:14In any investigation where a female is identified as the potential or alleged perpetrator, a gendered

01:21centred review will be undertaken.

01:24Parliament resumes on Thursday.

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