Qld police silent on coercive control laws

Queensland police haven't given any feedback on proposed domestic violence laws amid widespread doubts about the force's ability to enforce them, a union says.

A bill to change laws to allow for the criminalisation of coercive control is being examined by a parliamentary committee on Monday.

Queensland Police Union president Ian Leavers says he supports coercive control laws as an extra tool for officers to "make the world a better place".

Mr Leavers says domestic violence cases take up almost half of the policing workload, and the Queensland police received 140,000 domestic violence calls in 2021.

However, he's concerned the Queensland Police Service hasn't made any submission on the laws which it will be expected to enforce.

"The police service has not been part of this inquiry, and I think it would be incumbent on them as one of the leading agencies in Queensland that they should be before this inquiry to provide a submission," the union president said.

Mr Leavers has concerns about the ability of officers to enforce coercive control laws without proper training and resourcing, which will be difficult when the QPS has a fixed budget.

Specialist investigators with a expert knowledge and experience in coercive control are needed, he said, and they've "got to have a passion" for that sort of policing.

Mr Leavers said investigating coercive control takes time because police can't just sit down with witnesses and take statements, they have to build relationships with victims.

"Me, turning up as a middle aged man ... you've gotta develop a relationship with a person who's been a victim for many years for them to open up to you. It's not easy," the union boss said.

The Queensland Family and Child Commission backed the proposed laws, but said it's essential that people understand coercive control is not about moments, but longer periods of time.

"It is a journey, that you have to take the perpetrator, the survivor and the children on, making our policing both highly responsive to an event and an incident, but trauma-informed and recognising that a journey occurs then, with all the people involved, that were here for the long haul," it said. 

"Either the police services themselves or through referrals to child safety, non-government organisations has to connect those children, that woman and the extended family and the perpetrator to support intensive support to ensure that the cycle doesn't continue."

The proposed laws includes penalties for offenders who breach domestic violence orders, protection notices or release conditions when the breach involves physical violence. 

Evidence of a history of domestic violence will be admissible in court proceedings under the bill, and domestic violence will be considered an aggravating factor in sentencing.

The proposed laws will also allow non-criminal victims of domestic violence to access assistance from the victims of crime scheme.