Newsroom

August 29, 2025

The Queensland Parliament has passed the Domestic and Family Violence Protection and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2025 (the Bill), introducing changes aimed at strengthening protections for victims of domestic and family violence.

The Bill allows police to issue 12-month Police Protection Directions (PPDs) without any judicial oversight. While the intention is to provide immediate safety for victims, Nick Dametto MP says there are serious concerns about this shift.

“Police are not judges. We must be careful about giving officers powers that carry long-term legal consequences without any court involvement,” Mr Dametto said.

“The way domestic violence is handled in Queensland is far from perfect. But that doesn’t mean we should divert the decision-making power for domestic violence matters out of the courtroom and onto the street for our police to decide.

“Judicial oversight is essential for fairness, because domestic violence orders can carry far-reaching consequences. Under these new laws, PPDs will instantly impact a person’s domestic violence history, render them ineligible to hold a Blue or Yellow card, and automatically revoke a firearms licence.

“One of the biggest risks with PPDs is the potential for misidentification. Police will be expected to make immediate, long-term decisions under pressure, and mistakes will inevitably happen, with the wrong person being identified as the aggressor.

“There is also limited recourse to challenge a PPD decision. If someone opts to challenge a PPD in court, they risk facing a five-year domestic violence order instead. That’s not how natural justice is meant to work. People should be able to seek a review without fear of copping a harsher penalty.”

“This legislation wasn’t well supported by a broad range of stakeholders due to it being littered with risks. The government should have taken more time to consult and ensure that any changes would truly help protect victims and not unfairly punish innocent people.

“I agree that the government has to get serious about tackling the scourge of domestic and family violence, but experimental band-aid fixes such as this are not the answer.”