3 months ago
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The news
The Crisafulli government quietly abandoned a key plank of the landmark women’s safety and police inquiry reports, handing the work of publicly overseeing progress on major reforms to an advisory panel and a new departmental office.
The Independent Implementation Supervisor role – formerly handed to Cathy Taylor for a minimum two-year term in March 2023 – and the office supporting it, was wound up this year with no public acknowledgement from the government.
The office’s website remains online, with no mention the role no longer exists. The only public reference to its end was a LinkedIn post from Taylor and remarks from Minister Amanda Camm at a media conference on a weekend in January.
Minister Amanda Camm announced the new advisory panel in May, but it is not clear how – or if – it and a new office in her department will keep the public updated.Credit: Matt Dennien
Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence Minister Amanda Camm confirmed in a statement the office “ceased” in February and was replaced by a new advisory panel and an office established within her department.
Why it matters
In the first of her Hear Her Voice reports in 2021, Margaret McMurdo AC made calls for sweeping reforms across the criminal justice, policing and corrections systems to support victim-survivors of sexual assault, and also those accused, or found guilty of, a crime.
“Importantly, the [Women’s Safety and Justice] Taskforce recommends the appointment of an independent implementation supervisor so the public will know the progress of the implementation of its proposed reforms,” the report stated.
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One key recommendation was a commission of inquiry into police responses to domestic violence. In 2022, this inquiry by Judge Deborah Richards reiterated the calls for an implementation supervisor, among other recommendations, including a civilian-led police integrity unit.
Taylor’s most recent progress report in November noted that while extensive effort had been put into the reform program, “foundational” calls in some areas regarding early intervention and bail programs “remain in the early stages”, and a “decision remains outstanding” on the police integrity unit’s model.
What they said
After this masthead’s email to the supervisor’s office to check on the status of its biannual public progress report, due in May, went undelivered, questions were sent to Camm’s office about its status.
In a statement, she said: “The Office of the Independent Implementation Supervisor ceased in February this year and was replaced by the Independent Domestic and Family Violence Reform Advisory Panel.
“We have established a Reform Implementation Office within the department to continue to progress the work of the former OIIS, alongside our advisory panel.”
Asked whether the panel would make any public reports on the progress of reforms, Camm pointed to Taylor’s latest report in which her conclusion features support for “a reprioritisation and consolidation of key deliverables”.
“As part of the development of a 10-year DFV strategy, we will consider appropriate reporting models, along with advice received from our new advisory panel.”
The only government reference to the role’s end were remarks by Camm during a media conference with Premier David Crisafulli on Sunday, January 19. There was no written media release.
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In that appearance, Camm said the new expert panel would “bolster the oversight and the independence of the role of the Implementation Supervisor” and provide “greater robustness around the implementation of government reform”.
She said the panel would report to her and provide advice on “best practice” and “as part of the reform agenda that’s already been rolled out, what’s working”.
Taylor posted on LinkedIn in March that it had “been a privilege to work so closely with so many who have spent their lives pursuing safety for women and girls in Queensland”.
She was contacted for comment on Wednesday.
Another point of view
Tim Prenzler, a professor of criminology in the school of law and society at the University of the Sunshine Coast, said the previous Labor government had stalled on the police integrity unit (PIU), in particular, and “now the conservatives are doing the same thing”.
“The LNP should have gone to the election last year fully committed to the PIU and all the associated recommendations of the inquiry to do with police responses to domestic violence,” said Prenzler, who prepared an expert report for the Richards Inquiry.
What you need to know
Announcing the new advisory panel in May, Camm said it would offer “practical advice on government policy and how reform already underway will operate in the [domestic and family violence] system”.
The panel met for the first time in Townsville on May 26 and was expected to meet four times a year to “identify priorities”.
No mention was made of any regular public updates on reform progress. There is little public detail available about the work of the new office within Camm’s department.
The government has repeatedly refused to detail its plans regarding the police integrity unit, and recently declined to even say if an ongoing working group’s proposal had been handed to the government.
“The Crisafulli government continues to consider the implementation of a police integrity unit,” Attorney-General Deb Frecklington said in a statement.
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