Police Protection Directions

Changes to the law

The Queensland Government has made changes to legislation to support the safety of victim-survivors. The Domestic and Family Violence Protection and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2025 (Amendment Act) was passed by the Queensland Legislative Assembly on 28 August 2025. Police Protection Directions (PPDs) will commence statewide on 1 January 2026.

Information sheets about PPDs have been developed for domestic and family violence (DFV) service providers and community services, victim-survivors and named persons on PPDs, and persons using violence:

• PPD information sheet—DFV service providers and community services (PDF) (or DOCX)
• PPD information sheet—Victim-survivors and named persons (PDF) (or DOCX)
• PPD information sheet—Persons using violence (PDF) (or DOCX).

What is a PPD?

From 1 January 2026, PPDs will be an additional tool available to police under the Domestic and Family Violence Protection Act 2012 (DFVP Act).

A PPD is a 12-month direction issued by police, requiring the respondent (person using violence) to not commit domestic violence (DV) against the aggrieved (victim-survivor) and any other named persons on the PPD.

A PPD can only be issued by police in circumstances where it would not be more appropriate for the matter to go to court.

Contravening a PPD is a criminal offence.

When can a PPD be issued?

A PPD can be issued by police when identifying or responding to a complaint, report or circumstance of DV. A PPD is an on‑the‑spot direction that can only be issued when police reasonably believe:

• the aggrieved and respondent are in a ‘relevant relationship’ (intimate personal, family or informal care relationship under the DFVP Act)
• the respondent has committed DV against the aggrieved
• a PPD is necessary or desirable to protect the aggrieved from further DV
• none of the circumstances where a PPD must not be issued apply
• it would not be more appropriate for an application for a protection order to be made to a court.

In deciding whether to issue a PPD, the police officer must consider any views or wishes expressed by the aggrieved about whether an application for a protection order should be made. This means the police officer must consider if the aggrieved would prefer the matter to go to court.

How do PPDs work?

A respondent to a PPD will be required to comply with standard conditions, including being of good behaviour towards and not committing further DV against the aggrieved and any named persons. Other conditions may be included by police if they are necessary or desirable to protect the aggrieved or a named person from DV, such as not to contact or live with the aggrieved.

A PPD starts from when it is served on the respondent, or when a police officer tells the respondent about the PPD and its conditions. A PPD will be in force for a period of 12 months from the date the PPD starts.

How is a PPD enforced?

The onus will be on the respondent to comply with the conditions of the PPD. Contravening a PPD is a criminal offence in the same way that contravening a domestic violence order (DVO) is an offence.

The maximum penalty for contravening a PPD is 120 penalty units (currently $20,028) or 3 years imprisonment.

Can all police officers issue a PPD?

Only police officers who have completed PPD training will be able to issue PPDs. The police officer must also obtain approval from a PPD trained supervising police officer, prior to issuing a PPD.

Do PPDs replace PPNs?

PPDs do not replace other options available to police to protect victim-survivors. PPDs will provide protection to victim‑survivors in a similar way to a Police Protection Notice (PPN) or DVO, however a PPD will not be required to proceed to a court.

PPDs will be available alongside other police response options to allow police to address DFV in a way that supports victim-survivor safety and is appropriate in the circumstances. Police will still be able to issue a PPN to progress a matter through the courts, when appropriate. A PPD will end if another order is made in relation to the aggrieved and respondent.

What standard conditions are included on PPDs?

Standard conditions must be included on DVOs, PPNs and PPDs. These conditions include that the respondent:

• must be of good behaviour toward the aggrieved and any named persons
• must not commit DV or associated DV against the aggrieved or named persons
• must not expose a named child to DV
• must not organise, encourage, ask, tell, force or engage another person to commit DV on their behalf.

What other conditions are available on PPDs?

Other conditions may be considered by police and included on a PPD to protect the aggrieved or named persons:

• no-contact conditions that can prohibit the respondent from contacting, approaching or attempting to locate the aggrieved
• ouster conditions that can prevent access to certain locations, including the aggrieved’s usual place of residence or workplace
• return conditions that are made with ouster conditions and allow the respondent to return to a place for a specific time to retrieve personal property, under supervision of police
• cool-down conditions that can temporarily restrict access to certain locations and prevent the respondent from approaching or contacting the aggrieved for a certain period.

However, if the PPD names a child, other conditions are not available. If a child requires additional conditions for protection, the matter proceeds to a court.

When are police not able to issue a PPD?

There are circumstances where a police officer cannot issue a PPD. These may be referred to as exclusions and aim to ensure PPDs are not issued in circumstances where it would be more appropriate for a matter to proceed to court.

Some exclusions are also intended to minimise risk of misidentification of the person most in need of protection.

PPDs cannot be issued where a police officer reasonably believes any of the following circumstances apply:

• the respondent or aggrieved is a child
• the respondent or aggrieved is a police officer
• the respondent should be taken into custody in relation to the DV
• a DVO or recognised interstate order relating to the parties is in force or has previously been in force
• a PPD against the respondent is in force or has previously been in force
• the respondent has been convicted of a DV offence within the previous 2 years
• a proceeding for a DV offence against the respondent has commenced but remains ongoing
• a proceeding for a DVO has started but not been finalised
• the respondent has used, or threatened to use, an offensive weapon or instrument to commit DV
• there are indications that both persons in the relationship are in need of protection, and the person most in need of protection cannot be identified
• other conditions (see above) are needed to protect a child of the aggrieved, or a child who usually lives with the aggrieved, from associated DV or being exposed to DV.

If the PPD will name a child of the respondent, or the PPD conditions would prevent or limit contact between the respondent and their child, the PPD cannot be issued where a police officer knows or reasonably believes:

• a family law order relating to the child is in force
• a child protection order or care agreement relating to the child is in force
• a child protection or family law proceeding relating to the child has started but is not finalised.

What else do police consider when deciding whether to issue a PPD?

Even if no exclusions apply, there are other factors police must consider before issuing a PPD, including:

• if the respondent may cause serious harm to the aggrieved or a named person if they commit further DV
• additional powers available to courts in making a protection order that may be necessary or desirable (such as making an intervention order)
• either party has a conviction for a DV offence
• the respondent is not present at the location of the officer and reasonable attempts to speak with the respondent have not enabled a discussion regarding the DV.

If any of these circumstances exist, the police officer should consider whether it would be more appropriate to apply for a protection order. However, these circumstances do not exclude a PPD from being issued.

What review options are available for PPDs?

There are 2 review options available for PPDs:

• a Police Review
• a Court Review.

A person does not need to seek a Police Review before applying for a Court Review. A Court Review can be sought following the outcome of a Police Review, if desired.

When does a PPD end?

A PPD will automatically expire 12 months after the day it starts—the day it is served on the respondent or the day a police officer tells the respondent about the PPD and its conditions.

A PPD will continue in force until it expires. A PPD will end earlier if:

• it is revoked in a Police Review process
• a court ends or sets aside the PPD in a Court Review process
• a DVO or interstate DVO equivalent relating to the respondent and the aggrieved becomes enforceable
• a PPN relating to the respondent and aggrieved takes effect
• release conditions are imposed relating to the respondent and aggrieved
• a DVO application proceeding relating to the respondent and aggrieved is dismissed or adjourned without a temporary protection order being made.

What if protection is still required after a PPD ends?

When a PPD expires or otherwise ends, the protection it provides also ends. The PPD cannot be extended or reissued for the same respondent and aggrieved.

If the aggrieved or named persons still require protection from the respondent after a PPD ends, the police or the aggrieved can apply to the court for a protection order.

Statutory review of PPDs

The use of PPDs in Queensland will be monitored and evaluated. The legislative provisions for PPDs must be reviewed as soon as practicable after 1 January 2028.

The review must include consideration of whether:

• PPDs have been effective in improving the safety, protection and wellbeing of people who fear or experience DV
• the issuing of PPDs has had any impact on courts in relation to civil or criminal proceedings relating to DV, and
• PPDs have improved the efficiency of police powers and remain appropriate.

PPDs issued in welfare reform community areas

One of the ways the Family Responsibilities Commission (FRC) identifies community members and families who may benefit from FRC intervention is by receiving notices about particular matters, including when a court makes a DVO for people who live or have lived in a welfare reform community area.

Under the Family Responsibilities Commission Regulation 2014, prescribed welfare reform community areas include:

• the area of Aurukun Shire Council
• the Coen area
• the area of the Doomadgee Aboriginal Shire Council
• the Hope Vale area
• the Mossman Gorge Area.

The FRC will receive a notice when a PPD is issued in a welfare reform community area, as they currently do for DVOs.

The Police Commissioner will provide a notice to the FRC if a PPD is issued where:

• the relevant DV occurred in a welfare reform community area, or
• the Police Commissioner becomes aware the respondent lives, or at any time after 17 December 2015 has lived, in a welfare reform area.

The PPD notice must state:

• the date on which the PPD was issued
• the conditions of the PPD
• the name and address of the respondent
• information that identifies the place where the DV occurred and, if applicable, the welfare community area in which the respondent is said to live or have lived.

Providing the FRC with notices of PPDs issued in these circumstances will enable the FRC to assess whether intervention is required.

Legal Assistance Police Referral

A police officer will offer a person who identifies as Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander, a person with a disability or a person who is from a culturally or linguistically diverse background a police referral for legal assistance. Acceptance of the referral is consent-based.

The Queensland Indigenous Family Violence Legal Service will receive legal assistance referrals for aggrieved persons who are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander only, whilst Legal Aid Queensland will receive referrals for aggrieved persons who do not identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, and other legal assistance referrals including those for persons using violence.