Police DV orders soar

THE numbers of police-issued protection orders on the Gold Coast continue to skyrocket as victims feel more confident about reporting to authorities.

Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence Minister Shannon Fentiman, outside the Southport Courthouse yesterday, released the latest data since the State Government introduced new laws in May.

Under the new laws with police protection notices, police can remove a perpetrator and calm down a tense family environment rather than wait around and take notes for evidence.

“Here on the Gold Coast in terms of PPNs issued in the last month, they’ve more than doubled,” Ms Fentiman told the Bulletin. “We have seen 200 police protection notices in the first month of this new legislation operating.”

The number of PPNs issued across the State has almost tripled, with the Coast a hotspot.

Private orders have dropped – from 8250 in 2015-16 to 7848 in 2016-17 – while police orders are up, three times that amount. The launch of the Gold Coast Domestic and Family Violence Taskforce along with the specialist court explains much of the increase in orders on the tourist strip.