Women’s Safety & Justice Taskforce Recommendations Accepted

Zonta President 2020-22 Gwendolen Jull and the Honourable Margaret McMurdo AC

The Zonta Club of Brisbane congratulates Zonta member, the Honourable Margaret McMurdo and the Women’s Safety and Justice Taskforce on all their recommendations from the first report ‘Hear Her Voice’ handed down in December being accepted by the Queensland Government.

The historic announcement of a $363 million package of reforms includes legislating against coercive control, a Commission of Inquiry into how the Queensland Police Service responds to domestic and family violence, expansion and increased support of DFV Courts, a special strategy for First Nations communities, a co-responder model between police and DV services and increased respectful relationships education to all Queensland children and young people. 

The Honourable Margaret McMurdo spoke to the Zonta Club of Brisbane in April about the work of the taskforce and the many hours of testimony heard over the past months across the state which helped inform the report. The Government also announced Judge Deborah Richards to lead a Commission of Inquiry to examine Queensland Police Service responses to domestic and family violence. 

The Clubs’s Advocacy Committee answered the call for community submissions to Discussion Paper 3: Women and Girls’ Experiences across the Criminal System as Victims/Survivors of Sexual Violence.

More details about the Taskforce, it’s recommendations and the government’s responses can be found here.