Minister Condemns 'Dangerous' Police Failures in Domestic Violence Cases
Federal Social Services Minister Tanya Plibersek has delivered a powerful condemnation of what she describes as serious police failures in multiple domestic violence homicides in Queensland. The minister's comments follow Guardian Australia's devastating two-year investigation, 'Broken Trust', which uncovered evidence of systemic problems within authorities.
Victims Failed by the System
In a strongly-worded Facebook post, Ms Plibersek named the victims who should have been kept safe: Hannah Clarke and her three children, Kardell Lomas and her unborn child, and Gail Karran. The minister stated that when authorities collude with perpetrators, it doesn't just undermine the legal system - it becomes genuinely dangerous for those seeking protection.
The investigation revealed a pattern where women, particularly First Nations women, are frequently dismissed or blamed when seeking protection from violence. Ms Plibersek identified this as evidence of a broader cultural problem that requires immediate attention from governments at every level.
Queensland's Response and Ongoing Concerns
A spokesperson for Queensland Attorney General Deb Frecklington pointed to reforms implemented since the government came to power last year. These include establishing a working group with victims of domestic, family and sexual violence to identify system gaps, along with GPS trackers for high-risk offenders and court upgrades to support victims.
However, domestic violence advocates have expressed significant concerns about one particular reform - law changes allowing police to issue year-long protection orders. They worry this could compound existing issues and place women in greater danger, especially given revelations about police failures and data showing police frequently misidentify victims as perpetrators.
Adding to these concerns, the Queensland Police Service recently completed a 100-day review suggesting that the case management of domestic violence cases was not considered core business for officers. This revelation has sparked further alarm among support services and community advocates who argue that protecting vulnerable women must be a fundamental police responsibility.
Ms Plibersek concluded with a powerful statement: When a victim of domestic violence or sexual assault turns up she needs to be believed, she needs to be helped, she needs to be supported. And the institutions that are there to protect us have to do their jobs. She emphasized that governments at all levels owe it to the victims' families to ensure such tragedies never happen again.
