Domestic and family violence (DFV) workers will be joining police in Cairns when attending DFV police calls for service.
A Queensland first program is a step closer to being operational with the Miles Government continuing its work to improve the safety of women and hold perpetrators to account.
Relationships Australia Queensland has been awarded the first contract to partner with Queensland police in Cairns in a new co-response model that will see the two services work together when responding to call outs to DFV incidents.
The contract is part of a broader $22.9 million pilot program that runs until 30 September 2026.
This partnership will allow a specialist DFV practitioner to provide immediate support to a victim, including counselling and working on a safety plan, as well as assisting police to identify the person most in need of protection.
Specialist workers will also be able to assist police in gathering evidence and improving perpetrator accountability.
The co-responder model involving joint responses from QPS and specialist DFV services was recommended by the Women's Safety and Justice Taskforce in their first report, Hear her voice.
The trial aims to:
- enhance victim-survivor safety
- increase accountability of the person using violence and promote behaviour change to stop the violence
- reduce the misidentification of the person most in need of protection
- strengthen knowledge sharing between the Queensland Police Service (QPS) and DFV services
The Department of Justice and Attorney-General in partnership with QPS is leading the development, trial and evaluation of the co-response model.
A second location is expected to start in late 2024 and it will be informed by the outcomes of the trial in Cairns.
As stated by the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice and Minister for the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence Yvette D'Ath:
"We know that similar co-response initiatives have delivered positive results, not only for victim-survivors, but also for the services involved.
"Domestic and family violence is the biggest issue that police deal with every day - these matters can be complex and distressing for our first responders.
"This trial is about improving how our system responds to DFV. It will better protect victim-survivors and hold perpetrators to account."
"All victim-survivors deserve to be heard and believed when they come forward and report abuse.
"The Women's Safety and Justice Taskforce heard from hundreds of Queensland women and girls, and their voices informed the strong recommendations in their report.
"I'm so proud of the Miles Government's record in responding to those recommendations and delivering initiatives that prioritise the safety of Queenslanders."
As stated by Member for Cairns, Michael Healy:
"Domestic and family violence needs a whole of community response if we are to have any chance in stamping it out.
"This co-responder pilot in Cairns will help better protect victim-survivors from violence by combining the urgent response of police with the expert insights of a DFV service provider."
As stated by Member for Barron River, Craig Crawford:
"Police do their best when facing DFV callouts but by having an expert embedded with them, it will ensure the process is more efficient and the right victim can be identified.
"By doing this, immediate support can be given to the victim-survivor while the person using violence can be funnelled into prevention programs."
As stated by Member for Mulgrave, Curtis Pitt:
"This important pilot could prove to be a game changer in how first responders manage domestic and family violence call outs in Queensland.
"By having a Relationships Australia specialist worker embedded with police, both victim-survivors and perpetrators can be captured and the right support strategies initiated, while police are exposed to expert insight which will better inform their responses in future callouts.
As stated by Relationships Australia QLD CEO, Natasha Rae:
"Relationships Australia Qld firmly believes that freedom from violence in the family is a basic human right.
"We commend the Labor government for its investment into this innovative co-response model which will bring together specialist support services and police respondents to protect families in Cairns.
"This model will allow us to intervene early, identify the person in need of protection, and increase the safety of victims and their children.
"We know that children's exposure to parental conflict and violence in the home has long-term effects on their physical and emotional health, so it's critical that we intervene as early as possible to minimise harm.
"The program will also allow us to connect with those using violence to help them understand the impact their behaviour is having on their victim and children.
"This is a real opportunity to stop the cycle of violence earlier, minimise the hugely detrimental impact of domestic and family violence on families, and avoid unnecessary contact with the Courts."
As stated by Assistant Commissioner Brett Schafferius:
"We are committed to delivering victim-centric, trauma informed responses to domestic and family violence.
"The co-responder pilot will further support the work being done by officers on the ground to investigate matters holistically, and we look forward to working closely with partner agencies.
