Progress made in NSW DV reform

A body working to reduce the number of domestic violence deaths across the state says it is encouraged by progress over the last decade, despite less than half of its recommendations being fully implemented.

The 2019-2022 report from the Domestic Violence Death Review found 49 of its 122 recommendations from the last ten years had been fully implemented, while another 39 had been partially implemented with works still in progress.

Another nine were partially implemented, while 15 recommendations had been sidelined and 10 never implemented.

The Domestic Violence Death Review Team (DVDRT) was established in 2010 to examine domestic violence deaths in NSW, with the goal of cutting the toll and improving the systems that deal with them.

Some of the recommendations implemented included simplifying the criminal offence of non-fatal strangulation, after previous victims found the charge difficult to prove.

Another reform means domestic violence victims can now give evidence in court via video link to avoid facing their attacker.

Family members of murder victims can also now provide victim impact statements in court, if a guilty perpetrator is found not guilty due to mental illness.

Some of the 39 partially implemented reforms include a recommendation to routinely screen all women who attend emergency rooms to assess if they are victims of domestic violence.

NSW Health has completed a feasibility study into the recommendation and conducted a pilot program in six hospitals that is being reviewed.

The report notes that many recommendations regarding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women "are still awaiting substantive action".

This includes DVDRT advice from 2012-2022 to commission a study into First Nation's womens' experience of domestic and family violence and use it to inform strategy.

"Many of the team's recommendations anticipate large-scale, system-wide reform, that may require lengthy planning, trials and evaluation before they can be finally implemented," the report said.

The report noted the team was "encouraged by the fact that work has either been completed, or is progressing, on the vast majority of its recommendations".

Attorney-General Mark Speakman says the report shows the NSW government has delivered effective reforms to support victim-survivors and made the state safer.

"Just last month, in a national first, the NSW Liberal National government legislated a stand-alone offence for coercive control, a landmark reform that will save lives," Mr Speakman said on Tuesday.

Women's Safety Minister Natalie Ward says the evidence-based approach provided by the DVDRT was critical work that helped the government reform laws and steer record investment.

"Over the last two years the NSW Government has spent more than $700 million supporting victims, intervening early and preventing domestic violence from the outset."