DV reform body facing start delay

... but Inquiry wants immediate action

A CRITICAL oversight body meant to ensure recommendations of a landmark domestic violence report are put in place won’t exist until early 2023 – a year later than scheduled.

It comes as the state government is set to be handed the final report from the Commission of Inquiry into how Queensland police responds to domestic and family violence.

But it is unlikely the report will be released publicly immediately as Cabinet is not scheduled to meet until next week. The Women’s Safety and Justice Taskforce’s first Hear Her Voice report, handed down in December 2021, catalogued 89 “essential reforms” required to the domestic violence service and justice systems.

This included, as part of the first wave of foundational reforms meant to be done in early 2022, hiring an “independent implementation supervisor” backed up by an office.

Its responsibility would be to oversee the reforms, and monitor and evaluate the progress of the changes, with the Taskforce – helmed by Justice Margaret McMurdo – asking it be put in place “immediately”.

But the state government revealed an implementation supervisor hadn’t been appointed, and it was expected the position would be filled in early 2023.

A spokeswoman for Attorney-General Shannon Fentiman said the government was “committed to establishing this position as soon as possible to provide independent oversight of the Government’s implementation of the reform”.

“We are actively recruiting now for the position, with the view of appointing a supervisor in early 2023,” she said.

It comes after the Queensland Audit Office, in a report released on Thursday, revealed communication between police and service providers to reduce domestic violence was ineffective, despite direct recommendations from multiple wide-ranging public reviews.

Opposition domestic violence prevention spokeswoman Amanda Camm said losing an entire year “on something so important is unforgivable”.

“The recent Auditor-General’s report proves the Palaszczuk Government has failed victims of domestic violence because it doesn’t measure, deliver or evaluate programs and initiatives supposed to keep Queenslander safe,” she said.

“This appointment should have been the first priority and should have been implemented immediately.”

The Commission of Inquiry into QPS Responses to Domestic and Family Violence, headed by Judge Deborah Richards, is set to hand its report to government on Monday.

Police Minister Mark Ryan, asked last week if the report would be released the same day, said cabinet would need to consider it first and due to Regional Community Forum was not due to meet until next week.

The Premier’s office confirmed the report would only be released “once cabinet has considered it”.