“I support moves to criminalise coercive control in Queensland.
“The LNP has been calling for this reform for more than half a decade.
“Official Queensland Courts statistics show last year more than 28,000 Queenslanders made Domestic Violence Order Applications. That’s more than 530 a week.
“It’s disappointing 12 months after the horrific death of Hannah Clarke and her children, only now is the government forming a consultation taskforce.
“As we build these new laws, I urge the government to consider making coercive control part of a broader domestic violence offence to protect other family members like children and the elderly.
“A broader domestic violence offence could cover physical violence, strangulation, coercive control, financial control and sexual violence.
“Coercive control will be very difficult as standalone offence to prosecute because the onus of proof is on the victim to provide the evidence.”
ENDS