Legislative Council - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2022-07-06 Daily Xml

Contents

Domestic and Family Violence

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK (14:50): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking questions of the Attorney-General regarding domestic and family violence reform.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: Yesterday, the Attorney-General informed the council, in his own words, that in relation to family and domestic violence this is an area that is shared across both his portfolios and the minister in another place, the member for Reynell, the Hon. Katrine Hildyard. Given the Attorney has shared responsibility for this area, can he inform the council whether he has been briefed on the possible establishment of a domestic violence offenders register?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Attorney-General, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector) (14:50): I thank the honourable member for her important question. As I outlined yesterday, the minister and I have shared responsibilities in this area. The primary policy area is committed to the minister, Katrine Hildyard, in another place, but as outlined yesterday, and as I think the minister probably knows from her own experience, most of the levers in terms of policy responses are contained in the criminal codes that are committed to the Attorney-General.

We are working very closely, my office and Minister Hildyard's office, and myself and the minister, on our responses in relation to these areas. In relation to the establishment of a register, I don't want to answer and get something slightly wrong, but I recall a discussion in relation to a much bigger area of reform about a form of register but also looking at the laws we currently have that allow people to make inquiries into people's histories of family violence. I am happy to take the substance on notice to make sure I am accurately reflecting any briefings I have had and bring back a reply for the honourable member.