Amendments to domestic violence law don’t go far enough – Golding
Published:Thursday | December 14, 2023 | 12:10 AM
Despite a proposed increase from $10,000 to a $1-million fine for persons who breach a protection order as set out in a bill to amend the Domestic Violence Act, Opposition Leader Mark Golding says provisions in the six-page document fell short of a comprehensive review of the parent law.
Golding told his fellow lawmakers in Parliament on Tuesday that he was disappointed that the Government did not embark on an extensive review of the Domestic Violence Act but instead tinkered with the issue.
The opposition leader said he thought Olivia Grange, the minister for gender, would have appointed another joint select committee focusing primarily on domestic violence to give stakeholders an opportunity to make submissions in an attempt to achieve fundamental reforms.
“We are not addressing the fundamental challenges of domestic violence by this legislation,” he said.
Golding noted that the last joint select committee spent most of its time reviewing two other pieces of legislation, but not enough time was spent examining the Domestic Violence Act.
The opposition leader said the joint select committee, of which he was a member, had called for a broad review of the legislation.
However, in opening debate on the bill on Tuesday, Grange said several areas in the law were identified for changes in the short term to improve its operation.
Grange told her parliamentary colleagues that the bill was aimed at offering greater protection for victims who suffer the harmful effect of domestic violence by increasing the category of individuals who may make an application for an order.
The bill also expands the scope of protection orders and increases the penalties for breaching the protection order.
Apart from the significant hike in monetary fines for violating a protection order, persons convicted for that offence could also spend 12 months in prison. The current penalty is six months’ imprisonment.
The bill allows a constable and the Children’s Advocate, among other individuals, to make an application for a protection order where the conduct of a person poses a threat to a child.
Debate on the bill was suspended on Tuesday to allow additional lawmakers to make their contributions.
The parent legislation was passed on May 6, 1996.