Landmark Domestic and Family Violence reform passes through Parliament

• The Crisafulli Government is making Queensland safer with major domestic and family violence reform passing through Parliament.
• The reform includes three main changes to protect more victims sooner, including on-the-spot protection orders, new GPS trackers for high-risk offenders and the use of video recorded evidence in Court. 
• After a decade of decline under Labor, with hundreds of reform recommendations left gathering dust, in its first 10 months the Crisafulli Government is delivering protection for more victims sooner. 

The Crisafulli Government has passed landmark legislation through Parliament today to protect more domestic and family violence victims sooner and hold perpetrators to account, delivering on its commitment to help make Queensland safer.  

Victim safety is at the heart of the reform with police empowered to offer immediate protection to those in need, courts allowed to impose GPS trackers on high-risk offenders and video recorded evidence in chief to be rolled out.  

Under the changes police will be able to issue on-the-spot 12-month Police Protection Directions, protecting victims immediately without the trauma of seeking domestic violence orders through court.  

The Directions will order the recipient not commit domestic violence against the aggrieved or a named person for a period of one year or face a maximum penalty of three years imprisonment. It may also include a cool-down, ouster, return or no contact conditions.   

Police Protection Directions will not replace standard investigative processes and safeguards will be in place, including reviews of any Police Protection Directions issued to female respondents. 

Under the new laws, courts will be able to issue GPS trackers for high-risk domestic violence offenders, including those who have breached orders or Directions, to boost safety for victims, with the first 150 devices available this year.  

Victim-survivors will also have the option to get their own devices to be alerted to any breaches so they may enact safety plans. 

The legislation also includes the rollout of video recorded evidence in chief across the State, in a step to ease the re-traumatisation of victims through the judicial process. 

Under Labor, over the past decade, domestic and family violence related incidents have risen by 218%, with police responding to an incident every three minutes on average. 

Domestic Violence Order breaches have nearly doubled in the past five years, with matters lodged in magistrates courts across the State rising from 24,142 in 2019-20, to 41,523 in 2024-25. 

Minister for the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence Amanda Camm said the reforms were about protecting more victims sooner. 

"The Crisafulli Government is committed to the protection and the rights of victims of domestic and family violence – these changes are about protecting more victims, sooner,” Minister Camm said.  

“No matter where you live in Queensland everyone deserves to be safe, safe in your community and safe in your home.  

“We are delivering; holding perpetrators to account and sending the strong message we have zero tolerance to domestic violence. 

“Whether it is tracking an offender 24/7, or issuing on the spot 12-month protections, or making the judicial process a little easier on victims, this reform is about the better protection of victims. 

“These reforms continue the Crisafulli Government’s election commitments already underway, including the rollout of a new North Queensland 24/7 DFV crisis line, three new Hope Hubs in Queensland and uplifting DVConnect.