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Queensland’s under-fire minister for domestic violence has refused to provide an update on key reforms to protect at-risk women and children, days after another woman was allegedly murdered by a former partner in Brisbane.
Minister Amanda Camm, whose portfolios cover domestic and family violence and child safety, on Thursday announced $3.3 million for DV services to support referrals and assessments.
The boost comes a month after Camm was forced to defend the government’s decision to cut nearly $40 million in funding from the sector in its latest budget, which was exposed following the alleged murder of another woman west of Brisbane.
Camm deflected questions about government spending and said the LNP had made a record investment into domestic and family violence.
“We’re also getting our fair share of Commonwealth investment, which we haven’t seen in other parts and other portfolios.
“So that’s my job as minister – being able to ensure that Queenslanders have confidence that we are investing in the things that matter.”
The minister was also asked for an update on the Women’s Safety and Justice Taskforce recommendations, and a figure showing how many had been implemented to date. She refused to provide further information.
Premier David Crisafulli had promised an update on the taskforce – which made nearly 300 recommendations across two comprehensive reports delivered in 2021 and 2022 – during budget estimates. It was not provided by Camm.
“We are calmly and methodically working through those recommendations,” she told reporters on Thursday.
“The way we are prioritising those recommendations is in line with our government’s delivery plan … We will provide that update to Queenslanders in a timely manner.”
Asked why the Crisafulli government was working through domestic and family violence reforms slowly when it was able to rush “adult crime, adult time” legislation through within months of taking office, Camm said Queenslanders had endorsed harsher penalties to criminalise children.
“Domestic and family violence is complex … and we have seen the complexity of it grow in our communities,” she said.
“Ensuring that our responses and our delivery is keeping pace with the changing complexity of domestic and family violence is critical, and that is why I will not be rushed in providing that update.”
On Wednesday, a 27-year-old woman from Woody Point was allegedly killed by her former partner, Logan man Ronald Cora, at a home in Slacks Creek, Logan.
Four women have died in alleged domestic-violence-related incidents in Queensland in the past two months.
Sherele Moody, the founder of Australian Femicide Watch, which tracks women and children killed by violence, said the incident brought the national toll of Australian women killed this year to 45.
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