WA Attorney General responds to a question regarding potential amendments to family violence legislation to address dowry-related abuse, citing limited information and awaiting a Senate Committee report before proposing any changes.

AnsweredQoN 1637Legislative Council
Asked
12 September 2018
Portfolio
Attorney General

QuestionView source ↗

I
refer to the recent passage of legislation in Victoria to address dowry-related
abuse, and I ask: (a) has any consideration been given to expanding
Western Australia’s family violence legislation to address dowry-related abuse; (b) if yes to (a), please provide information about any proposed amendments, including relevant timeframes; and (c) if no to (a), why not?

AnswerView source ↗

Answered
10 October 2018
Responded by
Leader of the House representing the Attorney General
Response time
6 days
(a) There has some been consideration to expanding Western Australia’s family violence legislation to address dowry-related abuse however there is little information available regarding the extent of such abuse.
In response to the limited information available, on 26 June 2018, the Senate referred the practice of dowry and the incidence of dowry abuse to the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Reference Committee. The Committee will investigate: the extent and nature of such abuse; its relationship to family violence; the adequacy of the family law system; and the Migration Act 1958 (Cth) in acknowledging such abuse.
The Committee will make specific recommendations regarding legislative change that the Government will consider.
(b) – (c) The Committee is due to report on 6 December 2018. Accordingly, the content and recommendations from this report will need be considered to determine if and what amendments are required. There is currently no amendments proposed.

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