The man accused of bashing his former partner to death in an upturned car needs access to psychiatric care, his lawyer says.
Lionel James Patea, 24, faced Southport Magistrates Court via video-link on Wednesday to be formally charged with the murder of Gold Coast mother Tara Brown.
Patea is accused of running Ms Brown off the road and then using a cast iron fire hydrant cover to bash her as she lay trapped in her upturned car.
Patea barely spoke during the brief hearing on Wednesday, only saying "yes, sir" to the magistrate when asked if he understood the charges.
His lawyer, Campbell MacCallum, told the court he was seeking assurances his client would receive access to a psychiatrist.
"We have been seeking for a week that access be granted," Mr MacCallum said.
"We have been granted an hour so far."
Magistrate Colin Strofield expressed his belief that the access would be granted given Patea remains in custody.
"My expectation is that would be facilitated," Mr Strofield said.
Wednesday's hearing was held in a newly created domestic violence court at the Southport Courthouse.
Patea was charged with attempted murder at a bedside hearing in Gold Coast University Hospital last week where he was recovering from self-inflicted wounds, before Ms Brown died from the injuries she sustained.
Prosecutor Trudy Jobberns used Wednesday's hearing to formally drop the charge of attempted murder and replace it with a murder charge.
The matter has been adjourned until November 11.
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