But in a year that’s already seen 39 women murdered by a current or former partner, that’s where the agreement ends.
Dickson released a One Nation Domestic Violence Policy earlier this week, under the banner of “keeping families connected”.
The new policy would aim to ensure any protection orders don’t “unnecessarily restrict parental access to children”, while protection order hearings would require that both parents are present in court at the same time. It adds that any allegations of abuse must be “based on evidence”. According to One Nation’s domestic violence spokeswoman Tracey Bell-Henselin such “evidence” would require women to demonstrate their injuries, or provide medical files or records of a partner’s criminal past.
You can take heart in the fact the policy was quickly and passionately shot down by both the Queensland Government and the LNP.
Ros Bates, the Queensland Opposition’s family violence spokeswoman, accused Dickson of being “brainwashed by a few jilted men caught up in custody battles.”
Queensland’s Minister for Women and Communities Shannon Fentiman, also responded to the policy in parliament, saying that if implemented it would “put the lives of Queensland women and children at serious risk.”
“The One Nation policy demands equal access to children for both parents, even if one of them is perpetrating violence,” she said.
“This approach would put children directly in harm’s way, as violent behaviour, even if not directed towards the child, causes ongoing damage to these children that can take years to recover from.”
She said the idea of women having to show any proof of injuries before a DVO is made showed an “appalling lack of “understanding of the insidious control, mental abuse and threats that are commonplace in DV Including threats to harm or take the children
“Not to mention financial abuse, stalking, tampering with cars – there is a long list of tools used by perpetrators to keep their victim living in constant fear, while deliberately not leaving physical evidence.”
In 2016, a quarter of Australia’s domestic violence deaths were in Queensland, including five in the space of just one month.
And in the ten years from January 1 2006, 248 people including children were killed by a family member, partner or former partner, along with another 18 bystanders. As the Sunshine Coast Daily reports, a massive 96.5% of women killed by a current or former partner had a previous history of being the victim of violence at the hands of a partner.
For family and domestic violence support services, contact 1800 Respect national helpline 1800 737 732 or the Women’s Crisis Line 1800 811 811.