Victim-survivors deserve a justice system that believes them, protects them and holds perpetrators to account.
That’s why Labor is today introducing landmark law reforms.
Protecting victim-survivors
For too long, victim-survivors have faced another form of harm after leaving violence – discrimination because they took steps to keep themselves safe.
No victim-survivor should lose a promotion, be performance managed or be denied a rental because they were acting to save their lives.
That’s why Labor will amend the Equal Opportunity Act to make ‘subjection to family violence’ a protected attribute.
This will make it unlawful to discriminate against someone because they are experiencing or have experienced family violence.
These protections form part of a wider Bill introduced to Parliament today to keep victim-survivors safer, including:
- Making coercive control a standalone criminal offence
- Taking ‘good character’ references off the table so perpetrators can’t use their reputation for less jail time
- Strengthening Family Violence Intervention Orders to reduce the need to return to court and relive trauma
- Requiring courts to consider victim-survivors’ views before extending an intervention order
- Expanding Personal Safety Intervention Orders to recognise grooming
- Stopping perpetrators weaponising fines by expanding relief and exemptions for victim-survivors.
Unmasking convicted rapists
Labor will also amend the Open Courts Act to limit the use of suppression orders.
The change will mean convicted rapists can’t hide behind a mechanism intended to protect victim-survivors.
Labor will also review the use of interim suppression orders and examine the grounds on which proceeding suppression orders can be made in criminal trials.
The Attorney-General is also establishing an expert advisory group to drive the implementation of coercive control and provide advice on making the justice system easier to navigate.
Labor will always protect victim-survivors and put community safety first.