A steering committee advising the ACT Government on legislation to criminalise coercive control will meet for the first time today.
The government recently introduced laws making coercive control a standalone offence by mid-2026.
Dr Marisa Paterson MLA, Minister for the Prevention of Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence, said the steering committee would ensure the legislation is evidence-based, effective, and promotes safety for victim-survivors.
“Coercive control is a known part of intimate partner violence, and it is a key risk factor in domestic violence homicides,” Dr Paterson said.
“While many individual acts of coercive and controlling behaviour are already illegal in the ACT, standalone legislation will support better justice responses to patterns of controlling, coercive and abusive behaviours, reflecting the dynamic of domestic and family violence.
“We recognise that law reform is not the whole picture and must go hand-in-hand with training, education, and support for frontline services. The ACT Government will continue to work closely with experts across relevant sectors and agencies on what is needed to effectively implement the new offence.”
The committee will advise government drawn from members’ expertise and experience, learnings from other jurisdictions, and feedback from broader consultation with the sector and the community. The committee will consult victim-survivors through a pilot led by Women’s Health Matters.
“We’re listening to victim-survivors and stakeholders working in the domestic, family and sexual violence sector, who have urged us to take the time to get this right for our jurisdiction, in particular learning from lessons in NSW,” Dr Paterson said.
“To that end, the steering committee will help guide the legislative reform and implementation process to ensure it is informed by best practice and does not create unintended consequences.”
Canberra Liberals leader Leanne Castley is concerned that the legislation will not be introduced until next year, but said the Liberals would support the bill.
“What matters is protecting people sooner,” Ms Castley said. “Every month of delay leaves people exposed to patterns of abuse the law still fails to recognise. The community expects urgency, and we have the bipartisan support to deliver it.
“If other states can pass this legislation, so can we. Services are prepared, the community understands coercive control, and police encounter it daily, they just don’t yet have the legal tools to act.
“If the Government wants its name on the bill, that’s fine, I’ll still back it.”
“The entire Assembly shares a strong commitment to strengthening responses to domestic, family, and sexual violence,” Dr Paterson said. “I look forward to working across party lines to create better outcomes for victim-survivors.”
The steering committee includes representatives from Domestic Violence Crisis Service; Women’s Legal Centre ACT; YWCA Canberra; Canberra Rape Crisis Centre; Sisters in Spirit Aboriginal Corporation; Domestic Violence Prevention Council Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Expert Reference Group; Multicultural Hub Canberra and Queanbeyan; A Gender Agenda; EveryMan Australia; Women with Disabilities ACT; Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions; Legal Aid ACT; ACT Policing; Victim Support ACT, ACT Human Rights Commission; Justice and Community Safety Directorate; and Health and Community Services Directorate.
