Member for Burnett Stephen Bennett is calling on the Palaszczuk Government to employ a second domestic violence liaison officer at the Bundaberg Police Station.
Mr Bennett, the newly-appointed Shadow Minister for the Child Safety and the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence, urged the government to adopt the LNP’s policy of employing an additional liaison officer which was announced in the lead up to the election to deal with the alarming levels of violence in homes across the region.
“The Labor government needs to put the best interests of our region ahead of politics and adopt the LNP’s commitment to employ a second domestic violence liaison officer at Bundaberg Police State,” Mr Bennett said.
“It’s my understanding that the workload on our local domestic violence liaison officer continues to grow, but staffing hasn’t increased to keep up with the heavy workload.
“That means our general duties officers have been stuck behind a desk to help with the paperwork instead of being out on the beat keeping our community safe.”
Mr Bennett said the LNP fought from Opposition to successfully introduce laws to Parliament, reforming the bail system to give greater protections to victims of domestic violence.
“Tragically, Queensland accounted for a quarter of all domestic violence-related deaths in Australia last year and breaches of domestic violence orders increase 39 per cent in 2015-16 under Labor,” he said.
“Despite the ‘Not Now, Not Ever’ report being handed down in 2015, the Palaszczuk Labor Government has only implemented half its recommendations.
“In Government, the LNP recognised the need for action and invested more than $25 million in support initiatives and $10 million in sexual assault and women’s health services.”
January 2018