I contribute to debate on this petition, which calls on the New South Wales Government to implement Clare's law in New South Wales, otherwise known as a domestic violence disclosure scheme. I acknowledge the petitioner, Jo Cooper, and also the member for North Shore for lodging the petition, and all members contributing to this debate. This debate puts the spotlight on several important issues, including mechanisms for sharing information about individuals who pose a potential risk to an intimate partner's safety. Upholding the safety of women and children is always paramount. The New South Wales Government should always carefully consider initiatives which maximise safety.
Domestic violence disclosure schemes can involve two components: the right to ask, which refers to the right for individuals to request disclosure if they think they or another person is at risk; and the right to know, which refers to police proactively disclosing information to protect a potential victim. I respect the views of those who support these mechanisms. However, implementation of a disclosure scheme requires careful consideration to mitigate against unintended consequences. The last thing we want to do is proceed with a scheme that has the potential to increase risk to victim-survivors. Let us examine how domestic violence disclosure schemes have operated in Australia.
The previous Government implemented a pilot scheme from 2016 to 2018 in four local commands. An evaluation of the scheme made several adverse findings with respect to the cost, low demand and the fact that it was not operating as intended as an early intervention tool. To the previous Government's credit, it listened to the evidence and chose not to continue with the scheme at the time. I acknowledge the Opposition will want to talk about the South Australian model. While the feedback to date on that scheme appears to be more positive than the New South Wales trial, there are some key issues to note.
An evaluation of the model found that a lack of resources to meet rising demand contributed to delays and increased pressure on the operation of the scheme. These concerns were echoed by the Royal Commission into Domestic, Family, and Sexual Violence in its August 2025 report. The report recommended increased ongoing funding to improve the scheme's efficiency and reach, and cited issues around information sharing, record management and accessibility for some cohorts.
No matter which way you look at it, domestic violence disclosure schemes [DVDS] are expensive. If New South Wales were to proceed down that path, we would want to have confidence it would work, but unfortunately the evidence base is not there yet. The latest research published by Monash University and Liverpool University examined how disclosure schemes were working in Australia and New Zealand. They recommended a shift away from domestic violence disclosure schemes in favour of alternative evidence-based policies and practices. Their report found significant gaps in the timeliness of data sharing and a lack of follow-up supports and safety planning provided to applicants. The report also found that a significant proportion of victim-survivors had already left their abusive partners by the time they accessed the scheme, which again raises questions about the efficacy of a DVDS as an early intervention tool. Delivering a disclosure scheme has significant implementation implications such as cost, data sharing, policy practices and access.
Of course, we want to do everything we can to better connect individuals to specialist support services and contribute to more integrated responses. In many cases, this can be achieved through existing programs and services. For example, the New South Wales Government's Safer Pathway program automatically refers victim‑survivors to specialist support services after the NSW Police Force responds to a domestic and family violence callout. The Government is committed to directing funding to evidence-based programs and initiatives. As part of the New South Wales budget 2025-26, an additional $272.7 million over four years is being invested in domestic, family and sexual violence services. That builds on the $230 million package announced in the 2024‑25 budget. The New South Wales Government is also working closely with all Australian jurisdictions on the commitments made by National Cabinet to end gender-based violence. The Government will continue to work alongside those dealing with domestic violence first-hand, to prevent offending and support victim-survivors. As a child victim-survivor of domestic violence myself, having been a shadow Minister for Women and the Prevention of Domestic Violence and having worked in this space throughout my life, I extend my deep thanks to everyone who seeks to prevent domestic and family violence.
