Simon Power
National Party Law & Order Spokesman

19 September 2006

On-the-spot domestic violence orders welcome

National’s Law & Order spokesman, Simon Power, welcomes a police move to issue on-the-spot domestic violence orders in a bid to cut the soaring violence rate.

Police said they were considering the benefits of the orders after Australian authorities reported a drop in offences. Police there can issue an interim protection order at the scene of an incident, rather than wait weeks for the courts.

“We desperately need something to cut the violence rate.

“Domestic violence figures have jumped alarmingly in recent years but protection orders are down,” says Mr Power.

“Reported family violence incidents have doubled to 63,685 since 1999, with arrests doubling to 18,305, while applications for protection orders declined 29% from 6,520 in 1999 to 4,659 in 2004.

“This suggests that victims have little confidence that the system will support them. We must change that.

"On-the-spot domestic violence orders would work as a circuit-breaker till a complainant could apply for a protection order from the courts.

“This is a shameful record and anything that sends a clear message to the perpetrators that their actions will not be tolerated should be widely welcomed,” says Mr Power.

ENDS

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