Taking Action To Protect Family Violence Victim Survivors

Victim survivors of family violence will be better protected under new Victorian laws coming into force tomorrow to support the National Domestic Violence Order Scheme.

The new Domestic Violence Order Scheme was created to ensure that in future domestic violence orders made in any state or territory could be automatically recognised and enforced Australia-wide.

To prepare for the changes, Victoria is the only state whose new laws will ensure all existing active domestic violence orders made in Victoria before 25 November will be automatically included in the National Domestic Violence Order Scheme.

This means that Victorian victim survivors of family violence will not have to apply to a court for a declaration to include their existing active orders in the national scheme – instead this will occur automatically.

Under the new Victorian laws, police also have expanded powers to enter and search a property without a warrant if they form a reasonable belief that a person is at the property in breach of a domestic violence order made in another state or territory.

The additional powers will also allow police to detain a person for the purpose of obtaining a copy of a domestic violence order made in another state or territory.

For more information about the National Domestic Violence Order Scheme visit familyviolence.courts.vic.gov.au

Quotes attributable to Attorney General Martin Pakula

“The new laws will mean victim survivors are better protected and police will have more powers to hold perpetrators to account.”

“Victoria was the only state in Australia which introduced specific laws to ensure all active domestic violence orders made in Victoria before 25 November would be automatically included in the new national scheme.”

Quote attributable to Acting Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence Jill Hennessy

“The Andrews Labor Government is doing everything we can to tackle family violence. This national scheme means victim survivors will be better protected across the country.”

Quote attributable to Minister for Police Lisa Neville

“These new laws mean that Victoria Police will be able to protect more people, more effectively.”