❓ Question regarding the Cook Labor government's reforms addressing coercive control within the Family Violence Legislation Reform Bill 2024 and the collaboration with the community sector in developing these reforms. The Minister's answer outlines the government's commitment, investments, and the staged approach to criminalising coercive control, referencing support from experts and key reports.
AnsweredQoN 425Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
FAMILY VIOLENCE LEGISLATION REFORM BILL 2024
425. Ms C.M. ROWE to the Minister for Prevention of Family
and Domestic Violence:
I refer to the Cook Labor government's
reforms of family and domestic violence laws.
(1) Can the
minister outline to the house how the legislation introduced to Parliament
today will respond to coercive control?
(2) Can the
minister advise the house how these reforms were developed in collaboration
with the community sector?
425. Ms C.M. ROWE to the Minister for Prevention of Family
and Domestic Violence:
I refer to the Cook Labor government's
reforms of family and domestic violence laws.
(1) Can the
minister outline to the house how the legislation introduced to Parliament
today will respond to coercive control?
(2) Can the
minister advise the house how these reforms were developed in collaboration
with the community sector?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the question
and for her ongoing advocacy for not only the women and children in her
community, but also the important service providers in her electorate who do an
incredible job each and every day.
(1)–(2) The
Cook government's commitment to the prevention of family and domestic
violence is unmatched. We have been consistent, including through record
investment, for the entire term of this government— that is some nearly eight years of putting the
prevention of family and domestic violence front and centre of all that
we do. We have made critical investments in programs and services that not only
support victim–survivors, but also provide opportunities for
perpetrators to change their behaviours. That is a really important plank of
the work we do. In fact, in this year's budget, there was a 30 per cent
increase in funding for services for perpetrators to challenge them and to look
them straight in the eye and say, ''We'll give you the support
and the opportunity to change your ways.'' That is a really important
thing we do.
Of course, alongside those important
investments in programs each and every day is our legislative reform agenda, which is also unmatched. The Attorney General
today introduced the Family Violence Legislation Reform Bill 2024,
through which we are basically putting perpetrators on notice. They will be
held to account. Their behaviour will not be
tolerated by this government, and it is not tolerated by the community. Women have the right to be safe.
As part of the legislation, we are
making really important changes that will amend the definition of ''family
and domestic violence'' to recognise, as the Attorney General just
referred to, the pattern nature of coercive control. It is a pattern of
behaviour and a cumulative series of behaviours that seek to control women. It
is a critical first step in our government's commitment and approach to
a staged criminalisation of coercive control. It is really important that
everybody understands our approach, and we have broad support from people who know this stuff the best—the experts in
the field, including the Commissioner for Victims of Crime. I would like to highlight an important report from
November last year, Legislative responses to coercive control
in Western Australia: Consultation outcomes report . The commissioner stated
—
� immediately introducing a new
stand-alone criminal offence of coercive control would not be effective without
this much needed systemic reform �
She referred also to education
programs. It is really important to put that on the record. Likewise, the
Centre for Women's Safety and Wellbeing, in its submission to the
review, stated —
� improved understanding of coercive
control across the domestic and family violence response system would better
enable those working in the justice system to implement and enforce existing
legislation more effectively �
I
know that previously, and importantly, the Attorney General briefed the family
and domestic violence task force on the reforms we introduced today. There is
broad support for our approach. It is great to hear from the Attorney General that the Leader of the Liberal Party supports the bill that was introduced by
the Attorney. I welcome that.
Coercive control is a really
insidious and dangerous form of abuse. It is often the beginning of what turns
into abuse and violence towards women. It is often invisible. Seemingly small
behaviours have that cumulative and long-lasting effect. The bill will insert a
reference to the ''pattern'' nature of coercive control and its
cumulative effect into the Restraining Orders Act 1997. That will mean that
when courts decide whether to issue a restraining order, they will be required
to take into account the fact that family violence may be demonstrated by
multiple acts that, over a period of time and when considered cumulatively,
coerce control or cause a person to be fearful. But, of course, just because we
put it into legislation does not mean it will be so. Those people in the
justice system and the police actually need to be supported through education
programs so they fully understand coercive control.
In this year's budget, some
$585 000 was committed to ensure that we support the important work that needs
to happen on our path towards criminalising coercive control. Back in November,
we committed $2.1 million as part of the education program that needs to happen
in our court system and our judiciary so they fully understand what coercive
control is and support the women seeking restraining orders in the future on
that basis.
and for her ongoing advocacy for not only the women and children in her
community, but also the important service providers in her electorate who do an
incredible job each and every day.
(1)–(2) The
Cook government's commitment to the prevention of family and domestic
violence is unmatched. We have been consistent, including through record
investment, for the entire term of this government— that is some nearly eight years of putting the
prevention of family and domestic violence front and centre of all that
we do. We have made critical investments in programs and services that not only
support victim–survivors, but also provide opportunities for
perpetrators to change their behaviours. That is a really important plank of
the work we do. In fact, in this year's budget, there was a 30 per cent
increase in funding for services for perpetrators to challenge them and to look
them straight in the eye and say, ''We'll give you the support
and the opportunity to change your ways.'' That is a really important
thing we do.
Of course, alongside those important
investments in programs each and every day is our legislative reform agenda, which is also unmatched. The Attorney General
today introduced the Family Violence Legislation Reform Bill 2024,
through which we are basically putting perpetrators on notice. They will be
held to account. Their behaviour will not be
tolerated by this government, and it is not tolerated by the community. Women have the right to be safe.
As part of the legislation, we are
making really important changes that will amend the definition of ''family
and domestic violence'' to recognise, as the Attorney General just
referred to, the pattern nature of coercive control. It is a pattern of
behaviour and a cumulative series of behaviours that seek to control women. It
is a critical first step in our government's commitment and approach to
a staged criminalisation of coercive control. It is really important that
everybody understands our approach, and we have broad support from people who know this stuff the best—the experts in
the field, including the Commissioner for Victims of Crime. I would like to highlight an important report from
November last year, Legislative responses to coercive control
in Western Australia: Consultation outcomes report . The commissioner stated
—
� immediately introducing a new
stand-alone criminal offence of coercive control would not be effective without
this much needed systemic reform �
She referred also to education
programs. It is really important to put that on the record. Likewise, the
Centre for Women's Safety and Wellbeing, in its submission to the
review, stated —
� improved understanding of coercive
control across the domestic and family violence response system would better
enable those working in the justice system to implement and enforce existing
legislation more effectively �
I
know that previously, and importantly, the Attorney General briefed the family
and domestic violence task force on the reforms we introduced today. There is
broad support for our approach. It is great to hear from the Attorney General that the Leader of the Liberal Party supports the bill that was introduced by
the Attorney. I welcome that.
Coercive control is a really
insidious and dangerous form of abuse. It is often the beginning of what turns
into abuse and violence towards women. It is often invisible. Seemingly small
behaviours have that cumulative and long-lasting effect. The bill will insert a
reference to the ''pattern'' nature of coercive control and its
cumulative effect into the Restraining Orders Act 1997. That will mean that
when courts decide whether to issue a restraining order, they will be required
to take into account the fact that family violence may be demonstrated by
multiple acts that, over a period of time and when considered cumulatively,
coerce control or cause a person to be fearful. But, of course, just because we
put it into legislation does not mean it will be so. Those people in the
justice system and the police actually need to be supported through education
programs so they fully understand coercive control.
In this year's budget, some
$585 000 was committed to ensure that we support the important work that needs
to happen on our path towards criminalising coercive control. Back in November,
we committed $2.1 million as part of the education program that needs to happen
in our court system and our judiciary so they fully understand what coercive
control is and support the women seeking restraining orders in the future on
that basis.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.