Domestic Violence Courts

The Hon. D.G.E. HOOD (14:58): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking questions of the Attorney-General regarding the South Australian court system.

Leave granted.

The Hon. D.G.E. HOOD: There have recently been public calls for new specialised domestic violence courts, equipped with expertly-trained judiciary staff, to fast-track domestic violence cases and ultimately protect victims in doing so. It is due to the fact that the women—usually women, of course—are often in situations where they are subjected to further domestic violence incidents perpetrated by their alleged attackers due to the delays in the court proceedings.

The general manager of advocacy group Embolden, Mary Leaker, has stated in the media that faster court processes would enhance safety for victims, particularly where the alleged offender has not been remanded in custody, as can be the case. In response a state government spokesperson said the government was 'committed to taking action against the scourge of domestic and family violence'. My question is simply:

1. Is the Attorney-General considering implementing a specialised domestic violence court?

2. If so, what actions have already been taken, what preparatory work has been done and what might it look like?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Attorney-General, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector) (15:00): I thank the honourable member for his question. It is a good question and one that is very relevant given the focus that is quite rightly on family, domestic and sexual violence right around Australia but particularly in South Australia as I have talked about I think in both question times this week in relation to the Royal Commission into Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence in South Australia.

I am happy to go away and check to make sure I've got this correct, but to the best of my recollection there is a family violence list that runs in the Magistrates Court, a special list for those offences within the Magistrates Court. I will go away and just check that that is correct, but certainly I think with the royal commission running it will be an excellent opportunity to look at ways that we better provide services to those victim survivors of family and domestic violence, which include how the court systems are used.

So let me double-check, but I am pretty sure there is a family violence list already established in the Magistrates Court—whether that might be a template for superior courts, or I suspect there may be recommendations about how the court or particularly judicial proceedings might better suit family and domestic violence cases from the royal commission.