Graham Kennedy: Domestic Violence (Enhancing Safety) Bill — Second Reading 
Graham Kennedy: Domestic Violence (Enhancing Safety) Bill — Second Reading 
[Volume:657;Page:6735] 
Dr KENNEDY GRAHAM (Green) 
: 
 I rise to support the second reading of the Domestic Violence (Enhancing Safety) Bill. As the Green Party indicated in the first reading debate we are prepared to support the bill. We have no serious difficulties with it. The general thrust of the bill is entirely laudable. It reflects two of the Green Party’s four main principles—namely social responsibility and non-violence. 
Let us acknowledge that we are a violent nation. We chalk up an average of 222 violent family events each day which is one every 7 minutes. The purpose of the bill is therefore to ensure that a vulnerable partner in a domestic relationship—whether it is a woman or as we heard from our ACT colleague earlier a man as it is in many cases—can receive greater protection through enhanced police procedures. 
Specifically we support the proposed power for the police to issue a police order on the spot. That should avoid the delays involved hitherto in extending protection to a vulnerable partner at a time of crisis. We agree that the Justice and Electoral Committee’s recommendation to use the term police safety order in order to distinguish it from a similar order from the Family Court is well placed. We think as the committee recommends that 5 days is the appropriate period for such an order to be in force. 
We support the altered powers for a constable to issue a safety order for the proper protection of a vulnerable partner even if there is insufficient evidence to justify an arrest. We support the extension of an order to encompass previous partners as well as current partners. We support the change that will remove the need for a constable to obtain the explicit consent of a vulnerable partner before issuing a safety order. Too often the understandable reluctance or even hesitancy to give such consent has hampered not only the interests of justice but also the imperative of immediate protection for a potential victim. We also support the option for the criminal courts to consider a protection order for a victim at the time of sentencing the offender. 
For all of those reasons the Green Party will support the bill going through to the third reading. The bill is a step forward in strengthening the domestic protection regime. Whether the bill goes far enough is another matter. I note the lament of the Labour members in its minority report that at least six elements in Labour’s original bill—the Domestic Violence Reform Bill which is also on the Order Paper but so far has been allowed to languish—have not been included in the Government’s legislation. The Government says that it will address such issues separately but it has not met its intended deadline yet. 
We certainly believe that it is incumbent on the Government to proceed on the other issues which reflect considerable work done by the previous Labour Government in consultation with concerned groups. We look forward to seeing the fruits of that endeavour in the form of further draft legislation by the Government hopefully before the year is out. Thank you.