A steering committee to advise the ACT Government on the development of a standalone offence for coercive control in the ACT will meet for the first time on Monday (October 20).
The committee will provide invaluable input into the design of the legislation, which is expected to be introduced in the ACT Legislative Assembly in mid-2026.
Minister for the Prevention of Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence, Dr Marisa Paterson, said the steering committee would be critical in ensuring 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," Minister 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.
"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.
"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."
The committee will provide advice to government drawn from the expertise and experience of members, learnings from other jurisdictions, and feedback from broader consultation with the sector and the community. The committee will also be informed by the findings of consultation with victim-survivors through the Victim Survivor Voices Pilot led by Women's Health Matters.
"The entire Assembly shares a strong commitment to strengthening responses to domestic, family, and sexual violence. I look forward to working across party lines to create better outcomes for victim-survivors."
The steering committee includes representatives from the following agencies:
- 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
- Health and Community Services Directorate
