The latest data from the national homicide monitoring program has reported a 4% increase in the number of killings in 2022-23, but the disturbing number of women killed by an intimate partner in that same period increased by 28%.
Police recorded 232 homicides between July 2022 and June 2023 — the third-lowest homicide rate on record. This represents the overall rate of homicides per 100,000 Australians since 1989-1990.
On Tuesday, Minister for Women Katy Gallagher, Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth and Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus underscored how intimate partner killings had increased from 26 to 34 victims.
The government was committed to combating the crime of homicide, as well as ending violence against women and children in a generation, the ministers said.
“The number of women who continue to be killed by current or former intimate partners demonstrates that more needs to be done to end gender-based violence, so all women in Australia are safe,” they said in a statement.
“Understanding the scale of the issue with accurate, verified, closer to real-time data is critical.”
The ministers said improved data oversight would empower decision-makers to be responsive to the scourge and would go some way to addressing problems in real-time.
To this end, the Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC) is currently developing a statistical dashboard to provide more timely reporting on intimate partner homicide.
“The new dashboard … will provide essential insights into the incidence of intimate partner homicides so we can better understand and address this terrible crime,” the ministers said.
“The Albanese government is committed to taking action to reduce intimate partner homicide through the National Plan to End Violence Against Women and Children 2022-2032.”
The ministers acknowledged that every person killed in this way caused trauma for families and communities that could not be erased.
Meanwhile, Queensland this week passed legislation to establish an $18 million permanent victims’ commissioner to promote the rights and needs of victims of crime.
Queensland A-G Yvette D’Ath said she was proud the commissioner role had been legislated to enable victims of crime to have a permanent champion of their rights and needs.
“As an independent role, the commissioner will also provide advice to the Queensland government about things that can be done better, so that systemic improvements continue to be made to meet victims’ needs,” D’Ath said.
“The commissioner will also have a statutory office to support them monitor the implementation and progress of recommendations so that victims can be assured that progress will be made.”
The Queensland law reforms, made in response to the ‘Hear Her Voice Report Two — Women and Girls’ Experiences Across the Criminal Justice System’, will also create a permanent sexual violence review board. The board will have the power to conduct systemic reviews on matters relating to victims of crime and will consult with victims of crime on matters relating to them.
The prime minister is convening an emergency national cabinet meeting on Wednesday in response to the nationwide uptick in violence.
A series of community rallies were held over the weekend in protest against the rising nationwide death toll of Australian women at the hands of men. The figure currently stands at 27 this year.
“[The national cabinet will meet] so that the commonwealth and all states and territories are able to come together on this critical issue,” the minister said.
“The national plan also supports the efforts of law enforcement, the family, domestic and sexual violence sector and policymakers to develop priority responses.”
Federal politicians have vowed to take action to tackle violence against women, and conceded more must be done on top of billions of dollars already committed in the last two successive Budgets.
A total of $2.3 billion has been pledged in the 2022-23 and 2023-24 Budgets.
“In our last Budget, we announced the development of a national perpetrator risk assessment framework to identify risks posed by perpetrators and support earlier intervention,” the ministers said.
“Everyone has a role to play in ending violence against women and we know that all governments have more work to do.”
Please call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732, visit the 1800RESPECT website or text 0458 737 732 if you or someone you know is impacted by family, domestic or sexual violence.
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