Bligh Government proposes new defence for domestic violence victims
Source: Queensland. Attorney-General. Media Release
"The Bligh Government has introduced legislation that provides a new partial defence for victims of serious domestic violence who kill their abuser. Attorney-General and Industrial Relations Minister Cameron Dick introduced the Criminal Code (Abusive Domestic Relationship Defence and Another Matter) Amendment Bill 2009 into Parliament. Mr Dick told Parliament that the new defence was the first of its kind in Australia and would provide victims of serious abuse with legal protection. He said the proposed laws had been developed after detailed consideration of the issue by the government, the Queensland Law Reform Commission, academics and other key stakeholders in the judiciary, the legal profession and the community."