Earlier this week, Caroline Counsel was on ABC National Radio discussing the National Family Violence Scheme which commenced on 25 November 2017, White Ribbon Day.
The scheme will provide victims of Family Violence who obtain an Intervention Order, protection throughout Australia automatically. Updating the previous system which required a protected person to attend a Police Station or Court to have the Intervention Order registered in another State or Territory.
The new scheme is not retrospective, but Intervention Orders made prior to 25 November 2017 are able to be registered on the National database. The scheme also allows for Intervention Orders from New Zealand to be registered on the national system, if the protected person seeks to apply.
The implementation of the National Family Violence Scheme is the first of what is hoped to many national schemes to protect victims of Family Violence and hold perpetrators accountable on a greater scale. It is hoped that many of the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Family Violence will be adopted nationally in the coming years.
