Canberra Liberals Leader Elizabeth Lee will today call on the Labor-Greens Government to table a formal response to the review of the Implementation of the Family Violence Act 2016, including what legislative reforms will be undertaken.

In a motion to be put forward in the Legislative Assembly, Ms Lee has condemned the Labor-Greens Government for delaying the release of the review and noted findings that ‘the Act is not operating as intended and requires reform’.

“It is absolutely unacceptable that the government has delayed and hidden this report for a year; spending the time arguing over some comments critical of the government’s failures in addressing concerns over domestic and family violence,” said Ms Lee.

“The report contained valid and serious concerns and instead of taking those concerns seriously, the government spent a year going back and forth to help protect its own image.

“During that year, how many victims of domestic and family violence have been placed in danger?

The motion moved by Ms Lee will also note the Family Violence Act was implemented to address the scourge of family and domestic violence and acknowledges there is no place for domestic and family violence in our community.

“This government has been in power for over 20 years and the fact we are in this situation right now when other jurisdictions have addressed some of these serious concerns is telling.

“The Labor-Greens government needs to table a response to this review because it is about community safety; it is of huge public concern and it is clear from this review that there are some serious changes that need to be made,” Ms Lee concluded.