Yesterday, the State Member for Moggill, Dr Christian Rowan MP joined the Opposition Leader, Leader Lawrence Springborg, in thanking the hundreds of Queenslanders who took part in Safer Families, Better Communities marches and rallies against domestic and family violence.
Dr Rowan together with Mr Springborg, the Member for Aspley and Shadow Minister for Communities Tracy Davis, Member for Mount Ommaney Tarnya Smith, and Member for Clayfield Tim Nicholls marched alongside Lord Mayor Graham Quirk in Brisbane yesterday and commended the Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) for organising the initiative.
“The only way we are going to be successful in tackling the scourge of domestic violence is by working together, across all levels of government, all states and all communities,” he said.
“That’s why it was fantastic to see councils from across Queensland unite to take a stand against this insidious crime.”
Dr Rowan said the LNP was committed to working with all levels of government to end domestic violence.
“The LNP Government initiated the Taskforce chaired by Quentin Bryce, which produced the Not Now, Not Ever report and we have given our full bipartisan support to the Queensland Government’s response to the 140 recommendations,” Dr Rowan said.
“We are also working hard to find other ways to improve the safety of people at risk of domestic violence through preventative measures.
“That’s why Shadow Minister for Communities Tracy Davis has initiated a consultation process into a proposed scheme modelled on the United Kingdom’s Clare’s Law, which allows access to vital information about someone’s violent past and crimes.”
Dr Rowan advised that he had hosted a roundtable forum on Domestic Violence led by Tracy Davis Shadow Minister for Disabilities and stakeholders at his office to discuss Clare’s Law and the main objectives of Ms Davis’s Bill.
Clare’s Law was initially set up in the United Kingdom after a woman named Clare Wood was murdered by her former partner. In the course of the investigation it was discovered he had a violent past that had it been known by the victim or her family may have saved her life.
Dr Rowan said, “It means a person, their friends or family members who have a concern about his or her partner, would be able to make an application to the police for information on whether that person has a history of domestic violence or sexual offences”.
