Luke Batty case a chance for reform: Lay

Victoria's top policeman says the tragic killing of an 11-year-old boy offers a chance to reform a system that let him down.

The death of Luke Batty provides an important opportunity to reform the system that let him down, Victoria's top policeman says.

Chief Commissioner Ken Lay says some hope should should emerge from the killing of 11-year-old Luke at his father's hands.

He has arranged a group of experts to come together on Monday to discuss improving the system, saying society owes it to Luke and his mum Rosie Batty.

"We owe it to Rosie, we owe it to Luke that it does," Mr Lay told Fairfax Radio on Thursday.

"We have got the opportunity now to closely look at the system and say, `how can we make it better?'

"We've got to grasp it."

The experts, including family violence sector workers and government department secretaries, will look at suggestions they can put to government, Mr Lay said.

These include tackling a culture where men still degrade women, and improving communication between police and other agencies.

"Out of this tragedy comes some hope that we have the opportunity of changing a system that I think has probably let Rosie down and let Luke down," he said.

But police cannot simply solve the problem by arresting men.

"We just can't keep arresting people, putting them before the court, then not helping them get through some of their behavioural problems."

Ms Batty says she wants to become an advocate against domestic violence.

Her son Luke was beaten and stabbed to death in front of other children by his father Greg Anderson, 54, at a Tyabb cricket oval on the Mornington Peninsula last week.

The knife-wielding Mr Anderson was then fatally shot by police.

Ms Batty says she wants to campaign to end domestic violence.

"I really don't want to sound like some missionary ... (but) let's have a look at ourselves and our own faults," she told Fairfax Radio on Wednesday.

Luke's funeral will be held at his school, Flinders Christian Community College, at 11am (AEDT) on Friday.


2 min read

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Updated

Source: AAP


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