South Australia’s legal sector is rallying behind the royal commission’s report, urging immediate action to confront the state’s serious domestic and family violence challenges.
South Australia is set to take a leading role in a new national initiative aimed at preventing family violence in multicultural communities, as the state grapples with the findings of its recently released Royal Commission into Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence.
Led by commissioner Natasha Stott Despoja, the royal commission has delivered its final report – a 7,000-page document based on extensive consultations.
Over a 13-month inquiry, the commission received more than 380 written submissions and 800 survey responses and held 10 days of public hearings, bringing together the voices of victim-survivors, experts, and frontline workers.
Released in the wake of a shocking week in November 2023 when four women were killed in South Australia, the report sets out 136 recommendations that together form a transformative, once-in-a-generation roadmap for reform.
Among its central proposals were the creation of a standalone ministerial portfolio for domestic, family and sexual violence, the development of a five-year statewide strategy underpinned by prevention, early intervention, response, and recovery, and the appointment of a Lived Experience Advisory Group to advise government.
The South Australian government has accepted seven of the recommendations in full and committed to examining the remainder.
The Law Society of South Australia has welcomed the report, praising both its depth and its strong focus on lived experiences throughout the royal commission’s investigation.
Law Society president Marissa Mackie commended the “bravery” of victim-survivors who shared their stories, noting that their voices were instrumental in exposing the realities of domestic, family, and sexual violence and will help drive meaningful change.
“This problem will only be fixed when those prone to violence take accountability for their actions and make a genuine commitment to change,” Mackie said.
“This is a critical step in breaking the cycle of domestic violence, and we acknowledge perpetrators who shared their experiences of using violence and have taken steps to change their behaviours.”
From a legal perspective, the president endorsed several of the report’s key recommendations, including the “development of comprehensive domestic, family and sexual violence training for police, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, courts staff, and judicial officers”.
The commission’s findings coincided with the launch of a new national family violence prevention program led by federal Assistant Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence, Ged Kearney, which will be piloted in South Australia.
The program, Many Voices, One Future, backed by AMES, aims to prevent family violence in multicultural communities by embedding community-led education and leadership development into settlement services and broader community life.
Kearney expressed how this prevention program is a vital initiative that addresses a critical national gap in tackling family violence.
“The program is very much part of what’s needed to tackle the problem of family violence. It is grassroots, community-based, and it encourages people to be change agents,” Kearney said.
