The proposed scheme, to be applied Australia-wide, will allow a domestic or family violence order (DVO) issued by a court in one jurisdiction to be automatically recognised in other jurisdictions.
The Australian Attorney General commented that -
Under current arrangements, if a protected person wants to have their DVO recognised in another jurisdiction they have to 'register' the order with a court in that jurisdiction - putting the onus entirely on the victim.The national DVO scheme is a key commitment in the National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their children 2010-2022. The expectation is that the States and Territories will work together to draft legislation to give effect to
Many people fleeing domestic violence may not be aware of the requirement to register the order if moving interstate.
In addition, some protected people are too fearful for their safety to approach a court.
Under the national scheme, victims of domestic violence will be able to travel or move to another State and Territory and be automatically protected by their DVO.
Allowing court issued domestic and family violence orders to be valid and enforceable across State and Territory borders is an important improvement in the protection of victims of domestic violence.
this agreement.
