Stalking-related Harms

The Hon. C. BONAROS (15:06): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Attorney a question about strategies to reduce stalking-related harms.

Leave granted.

The Hon. C. BONAROS: The Australian Bureau of Statistics released new data last week revealing that one in seven adult Australians have experienced being stalked in their lifetime: one in five women and one in 15 men. We have legislated extensively on the issue of stalking in this jurisdiction; however, a low-cost, straightforward measure the state and federal governments could potentially take is the establishment of a national stalking helpline that is able to provide specialist information, advice and advocacy. The UK established such a helpline in 2010, and since then some 65,000 people have been supported through the service. As outlined in The Conversation on 24 October, the helpline provides online and telephone advice to potential stalking victims, and this includes basic risk assessment, advocacy and links to local support services.

While stalking is a complicated and multifaceted societal problem, the assistance that such a helpline could potentially provide in Australia is potentially life-saving for victims, and life-changing. As a relatively inexpensive measure, a national stalking helpline could potentially represent something material that we as a community, and indeed a country, could establish simply and expediently. As such, my question to the Attorney is: has the Attorney engaged in conversations with his interstate federal counterparts to discuss the implementation of a national stalking helpline? Is this on this state's or the federal government's radar? Will the Attorney undertake to look into the establishment of such a helpline?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Attorney-General, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector) (15:08): I thank the honourable member for her question. As the honourable member points out, it is an issue that affects far too many South Australians and Australians generally. It is certainly an issue that we have considered and for which we have strengthened laws. I know that we don't talk about bills that are before this chamber, but, in discussions that we have previously had, we have particularly looked at how new technology affects stalking and the use of internet platforms and things like drones and tracking devices and how to account for them in our stalking laws.

In relation to a national helpline, it's something that hasn't been discussed or considered. We have meetings twice a year with all the attorneys-general from around Australia, and that specific idea of a national stalking helpline has not been on the agenda. I will ask my officials to look around and see if it can be considered.

But there would be limitations in the Australian context, though, I suspect, for a national helpline. Unlike some other jurisdictions around the world, our criminal law is generally the province of each state and territory. While being able to access help and support would be benefits of a national helpline, the actual how of getting the authorities to intervene would vary from state to state. I am happy to get my officials to have a look and consider it, but it might be that state-based ones in the Australian context might be more useful.