Question Time

Domestic Violence Serial Offender Database

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Leader of the Opposition) (14:19): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Police a question about crime statistics.

Leave granted.

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY: In 2014, the state government committed to establishing a domestic violence database and as recently as last week we heard the South Australian Coroner, Mr Mark Johns, say there was no such database available. Mr Johns said there was the dedicated domestic violence researcher in the State Coroners Office trying to put together their own database but crucially the state government had contributed no funding to the task, despite its 2014 commitment to do so. Unfortunately, the real figure is unknown. Both Mr Johns and the South Australian Attorney-General, the Hon. John Rau, acknowledged, and I quote the Attorney here, 'It is critical for statistics to be available to help address the problem more comprehensively.'

Mr Johns highlighted the importance of tracking domestic violence via a database in reducing or preventing what might ultimately become a domestic violence related death. In light of the Attorney's comments and the aforementioned information, my questions are:

1. Why has the government not committed any resources to establishing or monitoring a domestic violence database?

2. Is the government committed to establishing a domestic violence database? If so, when can we expect that database to be available?

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS (Minister for Police, Minister for Correctional Services, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Road Safety) (14:20): I thank the honourable member for his important question. Of course, the key subject at the centre of the question asked by the Hon. Mr Ridgway is the issue of domestic violence, and this is an incredibly complex area of public policy and one this government has been doing an enormous amount of work on. I think this state government has taken up the very significant policy challenge of taking on domestic violence with gusto.

There is a whole range of measures that the government has been committed to for a substantial period of time to try to improve the visibility the government has over the issue so that, in turn, we can make sure that we are putting towards the effort a substantial level of resources, and that can be done in the way that will have the most effect in terms of addressing the issue on the front line. A good example of this is the Multi-Agency Protection Service, an effort led by SAPOL, which I personally have already had the opportunity to go to have a look at. I have to say the men and women working in that facility are doing absolutely outstanding work. All involved from government, but particularly SAPOL, who have led the initiative deserve an enormous amount of credit in trying to address the issue of domestic violence within the community.

There has also been effort on behalf of the government, I am advised, to establish a repeat offenders database. We are the only state to have done that. That, of course, increases the government's visibility of domestic violence—the frequency of it, the statistics around it—so that we can start to hone our policies accordingly. As to the issue that the Hon. Mr Ridgway refers to in respect of data collection which has been reported in the media recently, my understanding is that SAPOL leadership, the police commissioner and the Coroner enjoy a productive working relationship. They are always working collaboratively to make sure that information can be shared so that we can increase visibility to inform policing and policy generally, and that is being done, and I think that is something that the South Australian community would reasonably expect.