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Queensland to trial domestic violence court

Queensland's government says a special domestic violence court will be set up on the Gold Coast to help victims in a high-problem area.

Stock image (Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire)

(Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire) Source: Press Association

Queensland's government will trial a special domestic violence court so victims don't get lost in the system.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says the Domestic and Family Violence Magistrates Court will start hearing cases at Southport in September.

She says the court is needed because victims often lose continuity when seeking justice or get lost in the legal system.

"This is a specialised court, it is there to help women, it is to navigate their way through complex legal processes," Ms Palaszczuk said.

"If you have one person (magistrate) hearing one matter, there is consistency and they understand the complex issues."

She said the government was in discussions about which magistrate would be appointed to the court.

The location has been chosen in Southport, Ms Palaszczuk said, because it's an area with a very high rate of domestic violence and many victim support services already exist there.

The premier agreed to the trial after talks with prominent campaigner Rosie Batty and because it was recommended in former governor-general Dame Quentin Bryce's report into domestic violence, handed down in March.

Labor will also establish a Domestic and Family Violence Death Review and Advisory Board, expand a duty lawyer service to 14 locations across the state and set up two 72-hour crisis shelters for victims in Brisbane and Townsville.

The initiatives announced on Tuesday in response to Dame Quentin's report would cost the government $27 million, with a further $4 million to be announced.


2 min read

Published

Updated

Source: AAP


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