learning approach to support implementation of the toolkit across the public and private health sector. Finalise consideration of whether legislative amendments to the Defamation Act 2005 are required to provide a defence to defamation actions against media for publishing domestic and family violence support services information in stories or publications where domestic and family violence is alleged or intimated but not yet proven. Department of Justice and Attorney-General 3 67, 68 Finalise the review of civil and criminal legislation to determine if are legislative barriers that may prohibit the media from publishing information about domestic and family violence support services when reporting on domestic and family violence incidents. Department of Justice and Attorney-General 3 69 Develop and distribute a Queensland guide as a component of the rolling engagement and communication program. Department of the Premier and Cabinet 1 70 Affirm the Queensland Police Service as a reform leader in the criminal justice sector and as a domestic and family violence service delivery agency through embedding sustainable, long-term best practice policing prevention and response services to improve victim safety and hold perpetrators to account. Queensland Police Service 3 Enabling action Influence cultural and attitudinal change within the community by upholding the Queensland Police Service as a role model to reinforce positive behaviours. Queensland Police Service 3 Enabling action Continue to contribute to national discussions on the possible inclusion of a specific skill set to recognise domestic and family violence and child harm into the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers through the newly developed Schools Policy Group Respectful Relationships Education Working Group. Department of Education and Training 1,4 Enabling action Continue to maintain and promote the Respectful relationships education program website and conduct an annual review of the program to ensure best practice Department of Education and Training 1,2 Enabling action
finalise the foundational work needed to support implementation of these trials including development of a common risk assessment and management framework, information sharing guidelines, and a process for managing high-risk cases. Deliver a review into the specific challenges faced by people with disability impacted by domestic and family violence. Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services 5 10 Expand the Elder Abuse Prevention Unit and the Seniors Legal and Support Services to better respond to elder abuse in regional and remote areas and under-serviced metropolitan areas from 2017–18. Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services 5 11 Make representations to the Commonwealth Government regarding matters relating to funding of carers, informed through consultation with carers and stakeholders; the review into the prevalence and characteristics of elder abuse (recommendation 11); and findings of the Parliamentary Committee inquiry into the adequacy of existing financial protections for Queensland’s seniors Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services 5 13 Develop, promote and provide a model training program for frontline professionals in service industries and government to develop skills in recognizing when domestic and family violence is occurring and appropriate intervention. Include professional development opportunities to support staff participating in integrated services responses to domestic and family violence. Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services 5 49, 83 Deliver a comprehensive report to the Domestic and Family Violence Implementation Council outlining the findings of the independent evaluation of antenatal screening for domestic and family violence in Queensland public health facilities. Queensland Health 5 54 Implement within Queensland public and private maternity hospitals and emergency departments a referral that provides Queensland Health 5 59 trial
immediate access to specialist domestic and family support services. Deliver a funding and investment model to guide future investment in the domestic and family violence service system that addresses specific service delivery issues, including in rural and remote communities. Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services 5 72, 73 Finalise the recommended review of the Domestic and Family Violence Protection Act 2012 and progress amendments arising from it, including information-sharing mechanisms supporting integrated service responses. Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services 5 78, 99, 140 Review the Homelessness Program and the Crisis Accommodation Program, in collaboration with the Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services, to ensure the effective investment in specialist homelessness services for women and children escaping domestic and family violence. Department of Housing and Public Works 5 85a Deliver a new temporary supported accommodation service shelter) in Charters Towers and Roma in collaboration with community stakeholders. Department of Communities, Safety and Disability Services Department of Housing and Public Works 5 85b Support service providers to be flexible in providing accommodation options to perpetrators to allow victims and children to remain at home where it is deemed safe to do so. Department of Communities, Safety and Disability Services 5 86 Roll out the ‘Keeping Women Safe At Home’ project to new technology to enable women to stay safely in their homes. Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services 5 86 Evaluate the pilot of a refuge that caters for families escaping domestic and family violence with companion animals so they can access housing and homelessness services that meet their needs. Department of Housing and Public 5 87
Provide flexible brokerage funding to service providers to respond to financial hardship experienced by victims escaping violence, as well as non-residential support programs to help victims live independently and not be compelled to return to violent relationships. Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services 5 89 Continue to provide additional supports for people experiencing domestic violence to access training through the Annual VET Investment Plan, including women re-entering the workforce, which is a key target group for Skilling Queenslanders for Work projects in 2016–17. Department of Education and Training 5 89c Review the resourcing impact of the new domestic and family violence trigger at quarterly intervals, from the date of implementation of the trigger, to ensure the Family Responsibilities Commission has sufficient resourcing available to manage the referrals. Department of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships 5 94 Implementation of the ‘Support for Young Children Affected by Domestic and Family Violence’ project —12-month grants (2016–17) to 18 non-government organisations across Queensland to implement initiatives that respond to the learning and development needs of children aged birth to eight years affected by domestic and family violence. Department of Education and Training 5 Enabling action Deliver a new mobile support service for women escaping domestic and family violence on the Gold Coast, in collaboration with community stakeholders Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services Department of Housing and Public 5 Enabling action Work closely with partner agencies to ensure domestic and family violence responses and services developed and implemented meet the of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Queenslanders. Department of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships 5 Enabling action
community. Engage with community justice groups in each community to build local authority structures. Subject to the results of the independent evaluation of the Southport specialist domestic and family violence court the Queensland Government will invest in the specialist domestic and family violence court program prioritising high needs locations. The evaluation will inform government on best practice elements for the specialist domestic and family violence court approach. We will undertake work on how to achieve a specialist approach for rural and remote areas. Department of Justice and Attorney-General 6,7 96, 97, 98, 100 Advice from the Law Council of Australia regarding a national approach to extending the safeguards applying to victims of sexual assault to alleged victims of domestic and family violence, will be considered, and if not supported, relevant Queensland bodies will be asked to consider this reform. Department of Justice and Attorney-General 7 111 Refine further relevant policies and guidelines in accordance with the revised Queensland Language Services Guidelines to strengthen engagement of interpreters in domestic and family violence occurrences. Queensland Police Service 6,7 113 Continue to identify opportunities to streamline systems for engagement of interpreters for civil domestic and family violence court proceedings. Department of Justice and Attorney-General 7 116 Consider strategies to increase perpetrators’ participation in intervention programs as part of the development of integrated service response pilots. Department of Justice and Attorney-General 6 122 Conduct research on options to monitor perpetrators of domestic and family violence. Department of Justice and Attorney-General 6 123 Continue to fund non-government organisations to provide court based assistance and support. Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services 7 124
Month Community Grants program to enable community driven initiatives to complement the communication strategy. supporting Queensland communities to undertake local prevention campaigns and will continue to fund the Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Month Community Grants. activities during Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Month (May 2016). This has increased from approximately $110k in 2015 and $70k in 2014. The number of funded organisations, events and locations has increased from previous years. 24 The Queensland Government leads and facilitates the introduction of programs in State schools to embed through the school life of all secondary and primary state schools a culture that emphasises: Developing and maintaining respectful relationships Respecting self Gender equality. The Queensland Government will support programs in State Schools that embed a culture that upholds and recognises the significance of appropriate and respectful relationships and gender equality. This includes students demonstrating respect for themselves and others and behaving in a manner that respects the rights of others. The Queensland Government has developed the Respectful relationships education program designed for students from Prep to Year 12. It is a primary prevention program based on domestic and family violence research and best-practice educational approaches. It can be delivered as part of the curriculum or as a pastoral care program and is available to all schools in Queensland — state and non-state. 25 The Queensland Government leads and facilitates the introduction of programs to ensure that all secondary students can: Recognise domestic and family violence and where to go for help Safely intervene and provide support to victims. The Queensland Government recognises its responsibility to provide programs that focus on personal safety and awareness, including identifying and responding to abuse and violence, and to develop students’ knowledge and skills to be able to recognise, react and report when they, or others, are unsafe. The Queensland Government developed the Respectful relationships education program designed for students from Prep to Year 12. It is a primary prevention based on domestic and family violence research and best-practice educational approaches. It can be delivered as part of the curriculum or as a pastoral care program and is available to all schools in Queensland — state and non-state. 26 The Queensland Government leads and facilitates the The Queensland Government recognises The Queensland Government developed the Respectful
introduction of programs to ensure that all primary students can: Resolve conflict without violence Report fears and concerns safely. its responsibility to provide programs that focus on personal safety and awareness, including identifying and responding to abuse and violence, and to develop students’ knowledge and skills to be able to resolve conflict without violence and recognise, react and report when they, or others, are unsafe. relationships education program designed for students from Prep to Year 12. It is a primary prevention program based on domestic and family violence research and best-practice educational approaches. It can be delivered as part of the curriculum or as a pastoral care program and is available to all schools in Queensland — state and non-state. 32 The Queensland Government funds the development of a training program for employers and businesses on building workplaces supportive to victims of domestic and family violence that includes skills on identifying and responding to domestic and family violence. The Government has collaborated with CEO Challenge to launch the Recognise, Respond, Refer: Domestic Violence and the Workplace online training program. All Queensland Government agencies will be supported to build the program into their training schedules, and the Government will support Australia’s CEO Challenge to promote the program to business and organisations. Recognise Respond Refer: Domestic Violence and the Workplace e-learning program was developed in collaboration with Australia’s CEO Challenge to address this recommendation. The whole-of government domestic and family violence directive, issued by the Public Service Commission, encourages Queensland Government departments to make the Recognise Respond Refer e-learning program available to employees. Nineteen Queensland Government agencies have accessed the program for implementation. Australia’s CEO Challenge is offering the program to employers and businesses outside the Queensland Public Service as part of its ongoing workplace program. 44 Queensland Government departments and organisations brief interpreters prior to any client All Queensland Government departments, including non-government The revised Queensland Language Services Guidelines have now been uploaded onto the Department of
communication to fully inform them of the nature of the likely discussion and the opportunity to decline the engagement. organisations funded to deliver services on their behalf, are responsible for implementing the Queensland Language Services Policy. Further advice to agencies on briefing interpreters will be incorporated in the next review of the Language Services Guidelines. Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services’ website. The Queensland Language Services Guidelines contains information on how to work with interpreters and plan for multilingual resources. 60 The Minister for Health recommends to the Australian Health Workforce Ministerial Council that the Health Practitioner Regulation Boards of Australia require specific sets pertaining to recognition of and appropriate intervention for domestic and family violence and child harm be included in accreditation standards submitted by Accreditation Agencies under the National Law. The Minister for Health will raise workforce issues with other Australian Health Ministers. Workforce issues have been raised through the Health Workforce Principle Committee. On 17 2015, Health Ministers resolved to refer recommendations 60 to 62 to the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (APHRA) and the National Boards for noting. At the 6 November 2015 meeting of the Australian Health Workforce Ministerial Council, Health Ministers asked AHPRA to provide an update about actions taken in response to the referral of these recommendations. The update was provided in February 2016. has consulted with Accreditation Agencies to identify how current accreditation standards address the issues of domestic violence. AHPRA is providing information in communiques about continuing professional development registration standards being broad enough to encompass professional development on
Health Workforce Ministerial Council that consideration also be given to including skill sets and professional development on recognising and responding to child harm into accreditation standards and professional development programs. issues with other Australian Health Ministers. Workforce Principle Committee. As per recommendation 60. 63 The Minister for Health recommends to the Standing Council on Health that a requirement to be familiar with the indicators of domestic and family violence and child harm and to appropriately intervene be included into the draft National Code of Conduct for Health Care Workers. The Minister for Health will provide a paper to the COAG Health Council. The National Code of Conduct for Health Care Workers is being implemented by each jurisdiction. The Code of Conduct in Queensland will be in effect from 1 October 2015. Jurisdictions have identified appropriate and sufficient mechanisms currently in place to address matters identified in the recommendation. The Code of Conduct is to be reviewed in three years. 64 The Queensland Minister for Education recommends to the Education Council that the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership includes in the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers, specific skill sets to recognise and respond to incidents of domestic and family violence and child harm. The Minister for Education will raise this matter with the Education Council. The Minister for Education took this recommendation to the Education Council in September 2015 for consideration. This recommendation is now being considered by a new national Respectful Relationships Education Working Group established through the Education Council. 65 The Queensland Government works with universities to identify suitable ways to incorporate into professional undergraduate courses, education and training on how to identify when domestic and family violence is The Queensland Government will work with universities to explore how pre-service teachers can be better educated to recognise and appropriately The Queensland Government worked with the Queensland College of Teachers, the school sector and universities to include the requirement for all Queensland Initial Teacher Education Programs to include education and
risk indicator of future domestic and family violence related homicides. Consultation will occur with relevant legal and community stakeholders to consider ways to improve the legal response to this serious criminal conduct. choking, suffocation or strangulation in a domestic setting, commenced on 5 May 2016. 121 The Queensland Government considers the sufficiency of penalties to hold perpetrators to account for repeat contraventions of Domestic Violence Orders. The Queensland Government is committed to ensuring perpetrators are held to account and will review penalties. The Criminal Law (Domestic Violence) Amendment Act 2015 increased maximum penalties for breaches of Domestic Violence Orders, was passed by Parliament on 15 October 2015. This amendment commenced on 22 October 2015. 126 The Queensland Government establishes a state-wide service for domestic and family violence matters in Magistrates Courts for both applicants and respondents. The Queensland Government will provide additional funding for the expansion of the domestic violence duty lawyer service to a total of 14 locations across the State through Legal Aid Queensland. The rollout of the domestic violence duty lawyer service across 14 locations is complete (including in the specialist domestic and family violence Magistrates Court at Southport). Funding has been allocated for the continuation of the domestic violence duty lawyer services in the current 14 locations from 2016-17, including enhancing the model so representation is provided in court for all applicants and respondents in six court locations that deal with high numbers of domestic and family violence matters. 127 The Queensland Government develops a position description and guidelines for the service to ensure: The Queensland Government will work with Legal Aid Queensland to develop position descriptions Guidelines (case management standards) have been developed. The case management standards include the expectations of
Provision of legal advice before and after court appearances Limited assistance with drafting court related documents Provision of advice and referral on related issues (such as family law, support, child protection matter) representation during court appearances. and guidelines to ensure duty lawyer services are of a high quality and that appropriate referrals are made to other legal and support services. the duty lawyers delivering the service. Preferred suppliers of Legal Aid Queensland and community legal centres are required to adhere to these guidelines as a requirement of their service agreements. 128 The Queensland Government ensures duty-lawyer service lawyers are: Experienced in the dynamics and challenges of domestic and family violence Able to give family law, child support and child protection advice Operate within a wider integrated service response network, working to prioritise the safety of adult victims and children. The Queensland Government will work with Legal Aid Queensland to ensure that duty lawyer services are of a high quality and underpinned by an appropriate knowledge and skills base. Guidelines (case management standards) have been developed. Preferred suppliers are required to adhere to these guidelines as a requirement of their service agreements. 129 The Queensland Government amends the Domestic and Family Violence Protection Act to provide for victim impact statements to be introduced and for mandatory consideration by the in applications for protection orders. The Queensland Government is committed to ensuring victims voices are heard in all domestic legal processes and ways to achieve the objective of the recommendation will be considered as part of the recommended review of the Act (see Recommendation 140). The Domestic and Family Violence Protection and Another Act Amendment Act 2015, passed by Parliament on 3 December 2015, implemented the Government response to this recommendation. It introduced a principle that, to the extent it is appropriate and practicable, the and wishes of people who fear or experience domestic and family violence should be sought before a decision affecting them is made under the Domestic and Family Violence Protection Act 2012.
Implementation Council and discussed their commitment to facilitating the use of respectful relationships programs and addressing the issue of domestic and family violence for their students and the broader school community. 45 Businesses and non-government organisations in Queensland recognise the significant economic and social impact of domestic and family violence on the national and state economies and on workforce productivity. The Queensland Government supports the intent of this recommendation and will take every opportunity to highlight the impacts of Domestic and Family Violence. The Public Service Commission has released a Domestic and Family Violence Workforce Support Package, which is available publicly at . Business, local government and non-government organisations are encouraged to adopt or tailor these strategies to suit the needs of their workplace. 46 Businesses and non-government organisations in Queensland implement resource policies, leave arrangements and other support programs to support victims of domestic and family violence. The Queensland Government supports the intent of this recommendation and will encourage and support businesses and non-government organisations to human resource policies, practices and programs to support victims of Domestic and Family Violence. The Public Service Commission has released a Domestic and Family Violence Workforce Support Package, which is available publicly at . This package includes a DFV directive, model policy template, template leadership commitment statement, communications toolkit, and other supporting resources. Business, local government and non-government organisations are encouraged to adopt and/or tailor these strategies to suit the needs of their workplace. 47 Businesses and non-government organisations in Queensland incorporate information on domestic and family violence, its unacceptability, and availability The Queensland Government supports the intent of this recommendation and will encourage The Public Service Commission has released a Domestic and Family Violence Workforce Support Package, and made this
of support and how to safely intervene in staff training. businesses and organisations to incorporate information on Domestic and Family Violence in staff training. available publicly at . This package includes a DFV directive, model policy template, template leadership commitment statement, communications toolkit, and other supporting resources. Business, local government and non-government organisations are encouraged to adopt and/or tailor these strategies to suit the needs of their workplace. 48 Business and non-government organisations in Queensland sign up to the CEO Challenge to build relationships with domestic and family violence support services, and foster workplaces that do not tolerate violence and support victims. The Queensland Government supports the intent of this recommendation and will encourage businesses and organisations to sign up to the CEO Challenge and foster workplaces that do not tolerate Domestic and Family Violence. The following businesses and organisations are current workplace program challengers of CEO Challenge:  Aurizon  Unitywater  Multicultural Development Association  Heritage Bank  Brisbane City Council  Southern Downs Regional Council. 50 The Taskforce supports the recommendation of the Coroner in his report on the inquest into the death of Ms Beutel and recommends that the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners refines the RACGP ‘White Book’ – Abuse and Violence – Working with our patients in general practice to be more prescriptive and provide more definitive advice and decision making pathways for general practitioners. The Queensland Government supports the intent of this recommendation. The Minister for Health will write to the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) in support of this recommendation. The Minister for Health and Minister for Ambulance Services, the Honourable Cameron Dick MP, has written to the Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) regarding their ‘White Book’. Queensland Health and the RACGP will work together to develop a toolkit of resources which complement the RACGP’s ‘White Book’ as per recommendation 52.
51 Australian College of General Practitioners, CheckUp and Primary Health networks work together to ensure that all General Practitioners across Queensland, have access to, are familiar with and are utilising the ‘White Book’. The Queensland Government support the intent of this recommendation. The Minister for Health will write to a range of primary health organisations in support of this recommendation. The Minister for Health and Minister for Ambulance Services, the Honourable Cameron Dick MP, has written to the Primary Health networks regarding the ‘White Book’. Queensland Health, the Primary Health networks and the RACGP will work together to develop a toolkit of resources which complement the RACGP’s ‘White Book’ as per recommendation 52. 53 The Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists continues to expand the resources available to trainees and practitioners and develop a strategy to actively engage with Fellows to encourage ongoing use of the resources. The Queensland Government supports the intent of this recommendation. The Minister for Health will to the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG) to provide access to the Department of Health resources. The Minister for Health and Minister for Ambulance Services, the Honourable Cameron Dick MP, has written to the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG) regarding this recommendation. Queensland Health will work with RANZCOG to develop resources as per recommendation 52. 57 The Australian College of Midwives develops a continuing professional development program to educate midwives on asking pregnant women about exposure to domestic violence during ante-natal appointments and how to deal with disclosure. The Queensland Government supports the intent of this recommendation. The Queensland Government, through the Department of Health, will write to the Australian College of Midwives (ACM) to ensure they have access to the resources developed for recommendations 55 and 56 to enable the ACM to build on these resources for the The Minister for Health and Minister for Ambulance Services, the Honourable Cameron Dick MP, has written to the Australian College of Midwives (ACM) regarding this recommendation. Queensland Health will work with ACM to develop resources as per recommendation 52.
continuing professional development program. 101 The Chief Magistrate completes the domestic and family violence ‘Bench Book’ in consultation with relevant stakeholders (Women’s Legal Service, North Queensland Women’s Legal Service, Queensland Domestic Violence Services Network, Queensland Association of Independent Legal Services, Queensland Indigenous Family Violence Legal Service and Legal Aid Queensland). The Queensland Government supports the intent of this recommendation. The Attorney-General and Minister for Justice will to the Chief Magistrate in support of this recommendation. The Domestic and Family Violence Protection Act 2012 Bench Book has been finalised and is publicly available on the Queensland Courts website at . 102 The Chief Magistrate completes the Domestic Violence Best Practice project and publish the results. The Queensland Government supports the intent of this recommendation. The Attorney-General and Minister for Justice will write to the Chief Magistrate in support of this recommendation. The Domestic and Family Violence Protection Act 2012 Best Practice Report has been finalised and is publicly available on the Queensland Courts website at . 103 The Chief Magistrate commissions development of a professional development package, informed by evidence of best practice in judicial education currently being developed by Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety, for induction of newly appointed Magistrates on managing domestic and family violence cases. The Queensland Government supports the intent of this recommendation. The Attorney-General and Minister for Justice will write to the Chief Magistrate in support of this recommendation. Funding has been received from the 2016-2017 Budget for the development of a professional development package for the induction of newly appointed Magistrates. The package includes development of modules and materials for inclusion in the ongoing program of professional development of Magistrates on domestic and family violence. A dedicated legal officer will be appointed to develop and maintain these materials. 104 The Chief Magistrate develops modules specifically on domestic and family violence for inclusion in professional development The Queensland Government supports the intent of this recommendation. The Attorney-General and Funding has been received from the 2016-2017 Budget for the development of a professional development package for the induction of
Society (QLS) in support of this recommendation. 109 Queensland Law Society ensures that suitable continuing professional development programs in respecting diversity and ethical conduct for managing the intersection of domestic and family violence and family law are available. The Queensland Government supports the intent of this recommendation. The Attorney-General and Minister for Justice will write to the President of the Queensland Law Society in support of this recommendation. Following the release of the Domestic and Family Violence Best Practice Guidelines, the Queensland Law Society held a professional development session on 16 August 2016. The session was for all legal practitioners working with victims and perpetrators of domestic and family violence. A panel of experts led a discussion on the five principles set out in the guidelines and offered practical advice for implementing the guidelines. 110 Queensland Law Society encourages lawyers engaged in domestic and family violence law (whether representing perpetrators or victims) and family law undertake continuing professional development in diversity and ethical conduct for managing intersection of domestic and family violence and family law. The Queensland Government supports the intent of this recommendation. The Attorney-General and Minister for Justice will write to the President of the Queensland Law Society in support of this recommendation. Following the release of the Domestic and Family Violence Best Practice Guidelines, the Queensland Law Society held a professional development session on 16 August 2016. The session was for all legal practitioners working with victims and perpetrators of domestic and family violence. A panel of experts led a discussion on the five principles set out in the guidelines and offered practical advice for implementing the guidelines. 115 The Chief Magistrate issues a practice direction to require the court to engage an interpreter, where a party has difficulty communicating in English, at the first mention for all domestic and family violence civil proceedings before the Magistrates Court. The Queensland Government supports the intent of this recommendation. The Attorney-General and Minister for Justice will to the Chief As part of the Southport Specialist Domestic and Family Violence Court trial, a new court procedure, supported by the Chief Magistrate, requires registry staff to engage interpreters for parties if required at first appearance in court