Larissa Waters (Queensland, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I inform the chamber that Senators McAllister and Bragg will also sponsor the motion. I, and also on behalf of Senators Faruqi, McAllister and Bragg, move:

(1) That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

  (i) 19 February 2021 marks one year since the murder of Hannah Clarke and her three children,

  (ii) since that date a further 52 women have been killed by violence in Australia, and

  (iii) coercive control and persistent emotional or psychological abuse is abuse in its own right, and a strong indicator of future physical violence;

(b) further notes that:

  (i) Tasmania has had laws criminalising emotional and financial abuse and coercive control since 2004,

  (ii) Western Australia recently introduced a new offence of persistent family violence, recognising patterns of emotional and psychological abuse,

  (iii) New South Wales is currently consulting on draft laws to criminalise coercive control, and

  (iv) Queensland and the Northern Territory have announced plans to criminalise coercive control; and

(c) calls on the Government to

  (i) recognise the harm caused by persistent controlling behaviour, and

  (ii) coordinate a national discussion regarding criminalising coercive control and related implementation support.

(2) That this resolution be transmitted to the House of Representatives for concurrence.

Question agreed to.