Page 589 - Week 02 - Thursday, 21 February 1991
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Assembly Committees
MR MOORE: My question is directed to you, Mr Speaker, particularly in respect of your role with reference to committees. Having heard the debate over the chairpersons of committees this morning, will you attempt to act as a mediator to find a compromise position so that those committees which are not working will have some chance of being able to work as well as the other committees in the Assembly that are working well?
MR SPEAKER: Yes, Mr Moore.
Domestic Violence Orders
MS MAHER: My question is directed to Mr Collaery, as Minister for Community Services and Housing. Has this Government taken any measures to ensure that domestic violence orders will continue to provide protection if the victims leave the State or Territory in which the order was obtained?
MR COLLAERY: I thank Ms Maher for the question. Yes, the ACT Government participated with other State and Territory Attorneys on 6 and 7 December in a discussion of the matter with a view to securing uniformity throughout the nation. I am pleased to say that the meeting of the State and Territory Attorneys, including the Federal Attorney, agreed that it was necessary to ensure that domestic violence orders can be given recognition in all jurisdictions.
The Commonwealth, for its part, has informed the State and Territory Attorneys that it will amend the Service and Execution of Process Act, a Federal Act, such that, in the event that this is not achieved by State or Territory legislation, the Commonwealth legislation can be availed of by persons who hold domestic violence restraining orders.
The practical effect of this change will be that a person who has a restraining order against someone, knowing that he or she is travelling interstate, can inform the relevant registering authority - usually it will be one of the courts - and have the protection order registered in that place so that when that person makes that visit the order will be effective. More has to be done in that area to achieve national uniformity and quick responses. But I think it is timely for me to remind women who have and need those orders for their protection - particularly women in this town who go to the coast at times - that when they make prearranged visits interstate they will, under this arrangement, need to consider in advance securing registration of locally made orders so that the police in the other jurisdiction can act immediately and properly on those orders.
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