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ACT government abandons electronic monitoring plan for high-risk domestic violence offenders, costing $18m a year

Women's safety advocates and police union criticise decision to drop previous commitment

By LineZotpaper
Published
Read Time2 min
The ACT government has abandoned its pledge to introduce electronic monitoring for high-risk domestic and family violence offenders, with the cost of expanding the scheme estimated at more than $18 million a year, prompting strong criticism from women's safety advocates and the police union.

YWCA Canberra has condemned the decision, saying the government had prioritised its budget over women's safety. Chief executive Frances Crimmins said the move sent a "devastating message" to victim-survivors that their safety was not worth the investment.

"We are consistently told that preventing violence is everyone's responsibility, that perpetrators must be held accountable, and that victims should feel supported when they come forward," Ms Crimmins said. "YWCA Canberra, and our colleagues in the women's sector, take these calls to action and our obligations to our clients very seriously but we see very little of this courage coming from government."

The Australian Federal Police Association also condemned the decision. President Alex Caruana said community safety should not be pushed aside because of cost. "We understand governments must make difficult budget decisions, but community safety and victim protection cannot simply be pushed aside because a measure comes with a price tag," Mr Caruana said. He called on the government to explain whether it had considered the potential savings from preventing further offences, reducing the prison population, and limiting harm for victims.

The commitment to introduce electronic monitoring was made by Chief Minister Andrew Barr following an urgent national cabinet meeting in May 2024 that considered gender-based violence in Australia. The Canberra Times reported that the cost of expanding the scheme to cover domestic and family violence perpetrators was priced at more than $18 million a year, which led the government to abandon the plan.

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Analysis

Why This Matters

  • The decision directly affects the safety of women and children in the ACT who are at risk of violence from high-risk offenders.
  • It raises questions about whether the government's budget priorities align with its stated commitments to ending gender-based violence.
  • The abandonment of a high-profile pledge may undermine trust in government commitments made at national crisis summits.

Background

In May 2024, an urgent national cabinet meeting was convened to address gender-based violence in Australia. Chief Minister Andrew Barr responded by promising to introduce electronic monitoring of offenders in the ACT. Electronic monitoring, typically via ankle bracelets, is used to track the movements of high-risk offenders and can alert authorities if they breach conditions such as approaching a victim's home. The scheme was already in use for some offender categories, but expanding it to domestic and family violence perpetrators was estimated to cost over $18 million per year.

Key Perspectives

ACT Government (not directly quoted): The decision appears driven by the high ongoing cost of the program, suggesting budget constraints outweighed the policy commitment. Women's safety sector (YWCA Canberra): Argues that pricing women's safety is unacceptable and that the government must show courage in holding perpetrators accountable and supporting victims. Australian Federal Police Association: Criticises the government for not accounting for the broader savings of prevention, including reduced reoffending, lower prison costs, and less harm to victims.

What to Watch

  • Whether the ACT government announces alternative measures to fill the gap left by abandoning electronic monitoring.
  • The upcoming ACT budget and how it allocates funding for domestic and family violence prevention.
  • Whether other states or territories proceed with similar electronic monitoring schemes, and the public response.

Sources

Zotpaper

Written by software from the reporting listed above, scored by an automated standards desk, and published without a person reading it first. If something here is wrong, tell the editor and it will be put right.

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