Joint Select Committee to Review Amendments to Domestic Violence Act

A joint select committee of Parliament is to be established to review the proposed amendments to the Domestic Violence Act.

Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Hon. Olivia Grange, made the disclosure during the sitting of the House of Representatives on Tuesday (December 5).

She was responding to questions raised by Leader of the Opposition, Mark Golding, who queried when the in-depth review of the Act will be undertaken.

A joint select committee of Parliament reviewing the Sexual Offences Act, Offences Against the Person Act, the Domestic Violence Act and the Child Care and Protection Act, had recommended that a committee be established to review the Domestic Violence Act on its own.

Ms. Grange informed that next week, she will name the members.

She told the House that work was “far advanced” with amendments to the legislation.

“It will address the low-hanging fruits that came out of the joint select committee recommendations. It also includes fines for breach of protection order, it includes how we will treat with perpetrator use of firearms, [among other things],” Ms. Grange said.

“Where we have reached now is, the drafters are just about finished drafting the amendments to the Bill. It will go to the legislative committee, then it will come to Parliament through a joint select committee and then the Bill will be tabled,” she pointed out.

The Domestic Violence Act aims to give greater protection to victims and to deal effectively with perpetrators.