Legislative changes

The Queensland Government recognises that strong and effective domestic and family violence (DFV) laws are essential to protect victim-survivors, hold persons using violence accountable, and create a safer community.

The Domestic and Family Violence Protection and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2025 (Amendment Act) was passed by the Legislative Assembly on 28 August 2025. The Amendment Act progressed reforms intended to improve productivity for operational police officers when responding to DFV, give victim-survivors immediate protection against persons using violence, support a pilot of electronic monitoring of a respondent to a domestic violence order (DVO) and make other technical amendments to DFV legislation.

The reforms included the following amendments to the Domestic and Family Violence Protection Act 2012:

• Police Protection Directions (PPDs): From 1 January 2026, police officers are able to issue a PPD, alongside other existing police responses to DFV. A PPD can be used to provide immediate protection for the aggrieved and named persons, in circumstances where it is appropriate for the matter not to proceed to court.
• Electronic monitoring pilot for high-risk DFV persons using violence: From 1 October 2025, a monitoring device condition is available to judicial officers in Townsville and Caboolture Magistrates Courts to impose on a respondent to a DVO in certain circumstances.
• The Approved Provider List (APL): From 1 January 2026, the Chief Executive is able to prescribe matters in regulation, to be considered when approving a provider for an approved program or counselling. This is intended to strengthen the maintenance of the APL.

The electronic monitoring pilot was also supported by amendments to the Domestic and Family Violence Protection Regulation 2023. From 1 October 2025, the amendments operationalised the electronic monitoring pilot by prescribing:

• courts that can make a monitoring device condition
• requirements related to the residential address of the respondent and the aggrieved
• a requirement that the respondent be in the custody of a police officer, or in custody and subject to a parole order or community-based order at the time the monitoring device condition is made (noting this requirement automatically expired on 31 January 2026)
• an information sharing framework to enable monitoring information to be shared between relevant parties involved in the pilot.

The Queensland Government will continue to consider opportunities for future legislative reform that seek to improve support and protection for victim-survivors.