Violence escape route

VICTIMS of domestic violence are set to have police protection when they cross state borders from November, almost two decades after the move was first mooted.

The proposed scheme comes as the Territory grapples with 75,000 family violence call-outs a year in what Northern Territory Police Commissioner Reece Kershaw has labelled a crisis. But the scheme to recognise domestic violence orders and hold perpetrators accountable nationwide could yet be held up by the WA Government.

The state’s new Labor Government has committed to passing laws mirroring those of other states needed to put the national scheme in place by November, however the changes are yet to be introduced to Parliament.

Federal Women’s Minister Michaelia Cash announced “urgent collective action” on a national scheme in 2015 with the target of having it in place by the end of 2016. It came a long time after the Howardera Partnerships Against Domestic Violence recommendation for such a program in 1999.

Since 2015, inaction from state governments and technical issues designing the automatic system have caused significant delays and a new start date has now been set for November 25.

The Attorney-General’s Department said if the WA legislation was not passed in time, state and federal ministers would need to decide on an “appropriate action”.

All other states made the necessary legislative changes last year. Opposition legal affairs spokesman Mark Dreyfus said the Government must show national leadership and put more effort into getting the scheme up and running.

Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety chief executive Dr Heather Nancarrow said the scheme was vital to protecting victims.