'Dangerous and undermines our systems': Tanya Plibersek condemns serious police failures in Queensland DV deaths

[Master Ch]

Federal Social Services Minister Tanya Plibersek has sounded the alarm on the devastating failures of law enforcement to protect women fleeing domestic violence, condemning serious police mishandlings in a string of high-profile Queensland murders. The revelations have shed light on the dark reality that women and children are still being failed by authorities.

The Guardian's two-year investigation, Broken Trust, exposed shocking evidence of police and support service failures that contributed to multiple domestic violence homicides in Queensland. Plibersek described these victims as "should-have-been-kept-safe" cases, emphasizing that when authorities collude with perpetrators, it is not only damaging but also deadly.

The minister's comments came after a Guardian Australia investigation revealed systemic problems within the Queensland police force and support services that fail to recognize the gravity of domestic violence. The culture perpetuates the dismissal or blame of victims, particularly Indigenous women who are disproportionately affected by violence.

Plibersek called for urgent action from governments at every level to prevent such tragedies from happening again. She stressed that institutions designed to protect us must do their jobs and provide support to those in need.

However, advocates are expressing concerns about a recent law change allowing police to issue year-long protection orders, which could potentially put women's lives at risk. There is also alarm about the accuracy of police identification of victims as perpetrators, with data suggesting that this can lead to further harm.

In response to these allegations, the Queensland government claims to have implemented reforms aimed at addressing systemic failures, including the establishment of a working group for victims and court upgrades to support those affected by domestic violence. However, advocates question whether these efforts truly address the deep-seated problems within law enforcement and social services.

 

[Master Ch]

idk about this new protection order law ... on one hand, it's good that govts are taking action but, what if it puts women in more danger? i mean, we all know police aren't perfect & sometimes they mess up big time . and, i'm all for helping victims of domestic violence, but do we really think this law is gonna make a difference when our support services are still crap? ... and what about the Indigenous women who are already being failed by the system? that's just not good enough . i think govts need to take a step back, listen to advocates & victims, & come up with more concrete solutions rather than just slapping together some reforms .

 

[Armored Che]

I'm literally shaking just thinking about it! The whole system is supposed to be there to protect us, but when it fails, especially for vulnerable women & kids, it's just heartbreaking . We need real change, not just empty promises from govts. We gotta get rid of the culture of blame-shifting and victim-dismissing . It's time to listen to & trust victims, not the perpetrators! What we need is a multi-faceted approach that tackles root causes, provides real support, and holds those in power accountable . #JusticeForVictims #SystemicChangeNow #NoMoreViolence

 

[Escape from th]

I don’t usually comment but I gotta say, it's super worrying that women & kids are still being failed by authorities . Those police mishandlings in Queensland murders is just not right. We need to know why the authorities aren't doing their job properly. And the fact that Indigenous women are disproportionately affected by violence is just heartbreakin' .

I think it's great that Minister Plibersek is speaking out, but we gotta hold our leaders accountable for change . I don't buy that the recent law change & reforms are gonna fix everything – there needs to be more concrete action taken to address systemic failures. What's the point of having laws if they're not enforced properly? And what about the people who are already suffering, like those victims of domestic violence? We need answers

 

[Poor Part]

This is literally heartbreaking I feel so frustrated when I think about women and kids being failed by authorities time and time again... like they're invisible or something it's not just that, it's the culture of dismissal and blame-shifting that's a major problem - Indigenous women are disproportionately affected anyway, which is just not fair

I'm glad Tanya Plibersek is sounding the alarm, but at the same time, I'm worried about this new law change... like, isn't protection supposed to be a thing? And what's with the accuracy of police IDing victims as perpetrators? It sounds like it could lead to more harm rather than less

I think we need real reform here - not just some token changes that don't actually address the systemic problems... we need institutions that are designed to protect and support, not just paper over the cracks

 

[Zealous]

I'm so disturbed by this news . The fact that women are still being failed by authorities is just heartbreaking . We need to do better as a society, we need to be more empathetic and supportive towards those who are going through traumatic experiences . It's not okay that Indigenous women are disproportionately affected by violence . We need to listen to their voices and amplify their stories . The fact that the government is trying to pass laws that could potentially put women's lives at risk is just terrifying . We need to slow down and think this through, make sure we're creating systems that truly support survivors, not perpetuate harm .

 

[Nerv]

I'm so fed up with this domestic violence mess in Australia . Like, we know it's a massive issue but when are we gonna get our act together? The fact that the cops can't even identify victims as perpetrators correctly is just wild and those protection orders could be life or death situations for women and kids . I mean, the minister is right, institutions gotta do their job and support people in need but it feels like we're just patching up the same old problems with new band-aids . We need real, systemic change here not just some token reforms . And what's with the lack of action from governments? It's time to step up and show some leadership

 

[Nutty Narwhal]

omg y'all the stats on indigenous women being more likely to get abused r just crazy i mean we all know police & gov't are supposed 2 protect us but instead they're failing us left & right like what even is the point of having laws if they dont work

 

[Children of t]

Ugh I'm so frustrated with the latest law change allowing police to issue year-long protection orders. I mean, what's wrong with just giving women a temporary reprieve from their abusers? A year is way too long! And have you seen those court upgrades they're touting? They sound like just more bureaucratic red tape . What we really need is real change, not just some PR stunt to make the government look good. And let's be real, these protection orders could just lead to more women being targeted by their abusers who can't take no for an answer . We need to do better than that.

 

[The Castle 1690]

I'm really shaken by this news . It's like, we're living in a society where our own authorities are failing us, you know? These women who are trying to escape domestic violence are being failed by the very people supposed to protect them . It's heartbreaking and it makes me wonder if we're doing enough as a society to support each other. I mean, what does 'broken trust' even mean in this context? Is it just a phrase or is it something we need to confront head-on? We can't just keep pretending like everything is okay when it's not . The fact that Indigenous women are disproportionately affected by violence is just another layer of pain .

 

[Suba]

Wow , I cant even imagine how scary it must be for someone fleeing domestic violence, being failed by authorities like that. The Queensland police force needs to do a lot more than just acknowledge the problem, they need to fix it . And what's with this new law change? Are they trying to put more women in danger? Interesting how some governments can claim they're fixing things but really they're making it worse . We need real solutions, not just token changes .

 

[Hilarious Hare]

I'm really worried about what's happening with women escaping domestic abuse in Queensland . It sounds like the police are not doing enough to help them, which is just devastating. I think we need some serious changes in how our authorities handle these situations.

It's shocking that Indigenous women are more likely to be affected by violence, and that they're often blamed or dismissed instead of getting the support they need . The fact that there are problems with police identifying victims as perpetrators is also really concerning - it just highlights how much work needs to be done.

I don't think a new law allowing protection orders for a year is going to solve the problem, and it might even make things worse . We need to make sure our institutions are doing their jobs properly, not just patching up the surface-level problems.

The government says they're making reforms, but I'm not convinced that's enough . We need some real action and a commitment to fixing these systemic failures. It's time for some serious change!

 

[Return of th]

The recent revelations about the failures of law enforcement in protecting women fleeing domestic violence are indeed alarming . It's disheartening to see that despite the existence of support services and institutions designed to safeguard individuals, the culture perpetuates the dismissal or blame of victims, particularly Indigenous women who are disproportionately affected by violence .

A more nuanced approach is needed to tackle these systemic failures . The recent law change allowing year-long protection orders has sparked concerns about its potential impact on women's lives . Moreover, the accuracy of police identification of victims as perpetrators remains a contentious issue, which can lead to further harm and trauma . It's essential that governments take concrete steps to address these deep-seated problems within law enforcement and social services, rather than relying solely on reforms .

The need for urgent action cannot be overstated . As Tanya Plibersek aptly put it, institutions designed to protect us must do their jobs and provide support to those in need . By working together, we can create a more just and equitable society for all .

 

[Heavy Metal Lacros]

They're always more concerned about fixing the system than fixing the people

 

[Golden Spider Tak]

omg u guys i'm literally shook rn what's going on in queensland is just too much!! i mean tanya plibersek saying that women & children are being failed by authorities is just heartbreaking and those police mishandlings? no words can describe how messed up that is

i've been following this whole broken trust investigation and it's like, the more i learn about it, the more i'm like wow how could we be so blind to the problem of domestic violence?! and now with these new protection orders and police misidentification... it's just a recipe for disaster

i'm all for reform but can we please get our act together ASAP? these women & children need real support & not just empty promises from governments let's make some noise about this & demand change

 

[Bewildered Badger]

I'm literally shook by this news . Can't believe the police mishandlings are putting women's lives at risk . It's so sad that even in 2025, we're still dealing with these systemic failures. I mean, I know we've been talking about the importance of technology in supporting victims of domestic violence, like AI-powered chatbots and digital safety tools . But it seems like governments need to step up their game .

I'm not surprised that Indigenous women are disproportionately affected by violence - we need to do more to address these systemic inequalities . And I agree with Tanya Plibersek that institutions designed to protect us must do their jobs . But the law change allowing year-long protection orders is a major red flag . We need to make sure that these measures are in place to support victims, not put them at risk.

It's time for governments to take real action and listen to advocates' concerns . We can't just keep talking about the problem - we need concrete solutions . And let's be honest, technology could play a huge role in addressing these failures .

 

[Heavy Chicken Que]

y'know what's wild? We're still having this conversation in 2025 and it's like, we shoulda gotten it together already . Tanya Plibersek is speaking truth to power but we gotta ask ourselves, how many more lives have to be lost before we take action? It's not just about the laws or the government's response, it's about us as a society. We need to recognize that domestic violence isn't just a women's issue, it's a human rights issue. We need to create systems that don't shame or blame victims, but uplift and support them. And we gotta hold our institutions accountable for their actions. It's time for us all to take a closer look at ourselves and ask, what can I do to make a difference?