Beaumont Carol: Victims’ Orders Against Violent Offenders Bill — In CommitteeText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeBeaumont Carol: Victims’ Orders Against Violent Offenders Bill — In Committee[Sitting date: 16 April 2014. Volume:698;Page:17386. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]CAROL BEAUMONT (Labour): Rising to speak on Part 2 of the Victims’ Orders Against Violent Offenders Bill I join others in acknowledging that this is a small but significant step forward that does fill a gap. It will in part be recognising the ongoing effects of serious violent offending on victims by giving them the power to apply for a non-contact order. Part 2 of course is the part of the bill that actually puts that in place and provides the mechanisms and the substance to those provisions of non-contact orders.The non-contact order has been I think significantly improved by the work of the Law and Order Committee. Again as others have I want to acknowledge the fact that there is good cross-party support for this provision. It does I think reflect a concern that many have about the types of violence and intimidation that do exist and not solely but often are used against women. It has been good tonight to recognise across this Committee the understanding that there is about the problem of sexual violence—thefact that those who are victims and survivors of sexual violence often have extensive ongoing impacts of that violence that in fact as I described earlier this evening having listened to the submissions to the Social Services Committee inquiry have been described as a very traumatic ongoing series of impacts on health on the ability to form relationships and on a whole range of substantive issues. So this bill does provide assistance.I guess one concern that I do have and it is based on recent reflections on protection orders in domestic violence situations is that of course there does seem to be a concern about the enforceability but also the way that breaches of protection orders have been allowed to happen almost with impunity in some cases and we have seen some very significant consequences recently of that. So in establishing this new provision I think we do need to make sure that looking at non-contact orders what happens around breaching them and how that is actually implemented is going to be important for us. As others have said those non-contact orders can relate to the offender entering defined areas residing in specified areas and working in specified areas. Some of this is about the potential for psychological abuse not just physical abuse given the fact that somebody who has taken such a significant and abhorrent action against another person can then essentially put themselves in ongoing contact. So as I say that is good to see.I think that the reflection of others on what we really need for victims and better outcomes for victims and survivors of sexual violence is important particularly in terms of the criminal justice system. This bill is one small thing and the fact of the matter is we need a comprehensive look at this area for the reasons that have been articulated about the low level of convictions and the actual experience that victims of sexual violence face going through the court system and seeking justice. So although these orders are useful we should not kid ourselves that there is not a great deal more to do.I have to say that the current Minister of Justice—and we do not know how long she will stay in that role—has brushed aside suggestions of better legal responses to sexual violence. In the letter to the Hon Phil Goff she refers in fact to a bill that we dealt with earlier this evening the Victims of Crime Reform Bill. She talks about some of the provisions that are already in place and essentially says that some of the wider reforms that you might expect in this bill that we are dealing with tonight around these non-contact orders and the Law Commission’s report on alternative trial processes were all brushed aside.It is quite clear to those working in the area that there are a significant number of reforms that need to be made that will start to deal with some of the low conviction rates and also some of the brutalising experiences and difficulties that people face in trying to get justice in this area and there are particularities around sexual violence that make it difficult. There are evidential issues where there often are no other witnesses but there are things that can be done about that: prosecution guidelines about what needs to happen here better support in court and safety in court. Issues around court delays actually are a problem in this area as well because when it is a very emotionally intense process as it is in sexual violence trials delays can just really make it worse for that survivor. Another issue is the adversarial process itself which is really what the Law Commission deals with. The lack of boundaries and some of the behaviours of defence lawyers—The CHAIRPERSON (H V Ross Robertson): I am sorry to interrupt the honourable member. The time has come for me to report progress.Progress to be reported presently.House resumed.The Chairperson reported the Victims of Crime Reform Bill with amendment and that the Committee had divided it into four bills progress on the Victims’ Orders Against Violent Offenders Bill and no progress on the Vulnerable Children Bill.Report adopted.Sitting suspended from 9.56 p.m. to 9 a.m.(Thursday)