Andrew Broad (Mallee, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

One day a lady came to see me in my office in Swan Hill. She told me she wanted to see me about child care. Instead, when the door was shut, she explained that she was having to flee an abusive husband and was the victim of family violence, and that is where my involvement in the issue of family violence became very relevant to the people of Mallee. I want to talk about two high-profile cases that have recently taken place in Mallee and outline how the Australian judiciary is drastically letting our women down.

One of those cases involved Nick Stevens, a former AFL champion, who was appointed as a senior coach in a town. I took a stance against this. At the time he was appealing an eight-month jail sentence for beating up his former partner. He rang me on my mobile phone and explained to me who his lawyers were and that I shouldn't say anything—but I have the beauty of parliamentary privilege in this place. He largely threatened me and then he proceeded to tell me how it was all her fault and how nothing actually happened. He was appealing an eight-month jail sentence. At the very last minute he pleaded guilty and was given a three-month jail sentence. He served 12 weeks and is now back in our community. Our community is upset about that.

Recently, this last week, we had the handing down of a sentence in the case of a young 31-year-old lady who worked for the Mildura council. Her partner purchased a handgun for $3,000. He was a person prohibited from owning a handgun, so he clearly broke the law. In the house, her house, he loaded the handgun and then the handgun was discharged by him holding the handgun to her head. She was killed. Our community is astounded that he was able to get a manslaughter charge, and, as a result of that, he will get six years jail—six years jail!

So here we have a situation where a football star can make a plea bargain as an offender and get out of it with three months and we have a situation where an upstanding woman in our community, who was actually a white ribbon advocate, can get shot in her own home by an illegal handgun that was purchased several weeks earlier and the guy will be out in five years. The judge made the comment that it was extremely reckless, dangerous and profoundly stupid to place the loaded handgun against her forehead and that cocking it and pulling the trigger were acts of violence. Well, no shit, Sherlock!

Ross Vasta (Bonner, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Mallee will withdraw.

Andrew Broad (Mallee, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I withdraw that comment, but I express frustration at the inadequacy of the judge's comments. At some point our community has to say that our judiciary needs to get out of the 1970s and into 2017. Our police forces are putting their lives at risk all the time in apprehending these rogues in our community who are threatening women in their own homes. They take them to the court, but the court lets them do a plea bargain. The court let this guy go from murder to manslaughter and then, instead of giving him the maximum sentence, which should have seen him in jail for 15 years and possibly another three years for purchasing an illegal handgun as a prohibited person, he got out with a minimum sentence of six years. And, having already served 189 days, he will be out in five.

I want to send a message through this parliament that the Australian members of parliament will not take a back step when it comes to defending women in their own homes and when it comes to saying that family violence will not be tolerated. Ultimately, in time, that message will make its way through to the judiciary. But, at this point, the judiciary still has a lot to learn when it comes to realising that community attitudes have changed. No more can this continue. No more. The people in our community have to feel safe. The women in our community have to feel that when they go to a police officer and seek refuge and when they seek to take their case through the court system, justice will be served. In the two instances I have just outlined tonight justice was not served in my community. I look to a future when ultimately our judiciary catches up to the rest of Australian society.

House adjourned at 20 : 00