Women's safety advocates have raised concerns about the appointment of rightwing Queensland MP Amanda Stoker as the state's minister for the prevention of domestic violence, in light of resurfaced comments in which she said people should not "blindly" believe women who make allegations of violence.
Stoker, appointed to the role on Saturday, argued in a 2023 article that the push to believe complaints "rather than carefully assess[ing] relevant evidence" would harm innocent defendants. The former federal senator has repeatedly supported the rights of people accused of sexual assault and implied some were subject to "false allegations."
The appointment comes after the resignation of Amanda Camm; the portfolio also includes responsibility for the child safety system. Stoker made a public name for herself as a young conservative warrior, becoming a headline speaker at anti-abortion rallies and chosen for the Senate in 2018 with the backing of the Liberal National party's faction of "Christian soldiers." She left the Senate in 2022 and was elected to the Queensland parliament in 2024.
In the 2023 opinion piece, published by the Menzies Research Centre, Stoker raised concern about victim-focused reforms to the criminal justice system, including changes that allow the media to name accused rapists before they go to trial. She wrote that such reforms removed "a small protection against the harm done to an accused's reputation from adverse publicity in cases so weak that they don't even meet the standard necessary to go to trial."
"In our sincere desire to ensure that victims are treated with respect and dignity and are able to achieve justice, so-called 'reforms' have been proffered that would permanently undermine our justice system in a way that harms everyone," Stoker wrote. "What I do know is that the push for us all to blindly '#believeher' (or any witness) rather than carefully assess the relevant evidence is prone to cause great harm to those defendants who are innocent."
Stoker has made similar comments over several years, telling Sky News in 2019, in relation to universities' handling of sexual assault allegations: "we don't want to see victims harmed, but we also don't want to see people harmed by false allegations."
Research has established that false allegations in sexual and domestic violence cases are rare. The Queensland Police Service says on its website there is "no evidence that many women make vexatious reports" of sexual violence and that the rate of false allegations is "very low." QPS says the myth about false allegations is harmful and contributes to under-reporting.
Full Stop Australia CEO Karen Bevan said "what leaders say about sexual violence is heard by every person deciding whether to tell someone what happened to them." She said victim-survivors need to know that if they come forward, they will be believed, and noted that in Queensland, 92% of women who experience sexual assault never report it to police. "Believing someone when they disclose is not the same as deciding guilt," Bevan said.
Stoker's office did not address specific questions sent on Tuesday, including whether her prior statements were consistent with the state government's promise to put "victims at the heart of government." A spokesperson said there was broader context to the minister's prior comments, that the minister has a legal background and "cares deeply about procedural fairness in all cases," and that she supports the policy direction of the Crisafulli government.
Stoker also did not respond to questions about whether she supported safeguarding measures to support victim-survivors, including the ability for some to give evidence from a "safe room." In her 2023 piece, she wrote that removing "the right to face one's accuser" or the ability to fully test evidence in court would "increase the number of innocent people who will be punished for crimes they didn't commit."
Former Australian of the Year Grace Tame, who criticised Stoker's appointment to the federal outer ministry in 2021, called the appointment "very disappointing," adding that "Amanda has essentially played into the overarching gaslighting that is directed at victim survivors."
Guardian Australia has also spoken to several people who work in Queensland supporting victims of domestic and sexual violence who said they had private concerns about Stoker taking over the portfolio. None would speak publicly, in an environment where support organisations say they've been warned not to criticise the government, and others have had public funding cut. The appointment was welcomed in public by some in the community sector.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The minister for the prevention of domestic violence is responsible for policies that affect victim-survivors' safety and access to justice; her past statements may influence how survivors are treated and whether they come forward.
- Queensland has a high rate of under-reporting of sexual assault, with 92% of women who experience it never reporting to police, according to Full Stop Australia.
- The appointment signals the government's priorities on domestic violence, and the minister's views on evidence and fairness could shape reforms or safeguards.
Background
Amanda Stoker is a Queensland MP and former federal senator, known as a conservative figure. She has a legal background and has previously argued that victim-focused reforms to the criminal justice system could harm innocent defendants. Research and police guidance indicate false allegations are rare. The appointment follows the resignation of Amanda Camm from the portfolio, which also includes the child safety system.
Key Perspectives
- Women's safety advocates: have raised concerns about the appointment due to Stoker's resurfaced statements; several workers in the sector have private concerns but did not speak publicly, citing warnings not to criticise the government and funding cuts.
- Amanda Stoker: in 2023 wrote that the push to "blindly" believe allegations rather than carefully assess evidence could harm innocent defendants, and that reforms removing the right to face one's accuser would increase punishment of innocent people. Her spokesperson said prior comments have broader context, that she cares about procedural fairness, and that she supports the government's policy direction.
- Grace Tame (former Australian of the Year): called the appointment "very disappointing" and said Stoker has "played into the overarching gaslighting that is directed at victim survivors."
- Karen Bevan (Full Stop Australia CEO): said what leaders say about sexual violence is heard by those deciding whether to report; believing a disclosure is not the same as deciding guilt, and a fair trial and a system victim-survivors trust can coexist.
What to Watch
- Whether Stoker's office clarifies her stance on safeguarding measures like giving evidence from a "safe room," which she did not address.
- Any public statements or policy actions from Stoker in her new role regarding reforms to sexual assault evidence or victim support.
- Reactions from Queensland support organisations and whether any critics speak publicly despite concerns about government reprisals.
Checked
11 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 11 supported.
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- SupportedWomen’s safety advocates raised concerns about Amanda Stoker’s appointment in light of resurfaced comments about believing women who make allegations of violence.World news | The Guardian: “Women’s safety advocates have raised concerns about the appointment of rightwing Queensland MP Amanda Stoker as the state’s minister for the prevention of domestic violence in light of her resurfaced statements that people should not “blindly” believe women who make allegations of violence.”
- SupportedStoker’s 2023 article said that blindly believing women making allegations of violence, rather than assessing evidence, could harm innocent defendants.World news | The Guardian: ““What I do know is that the push for us all to blindly ‘#believeher’ (or any witness) rather than carefully assess the relevant evidence is prone to cause great harm to those defendants who are innocent.””
- SupportedStoker was appointed minister on Saturday.World news | The Guardian: “Stoker, who was appointed to the role on Saturday”
- SupportedGrace Tame expressed disappointment about Stoker’s appointment.World news | The Guardian: “Tame said Stoker’s appointment was “very disappointing, considering that as we know that sexual, family and domestic violence in Australia is only worsening.”
- SupportedStoker wrote that reforms had removed a small protection against reputational harm to accused people in cases too weak to go to trial.World news | The Guardian: “She said the changes removed “a small protection against the harm done to an accused’s reputation from adverse publicity in cases so weak that they don’t even meet the standard necessary to go to trial”.”
- SupportedStoker told Sky News in 2019 that people should not be harmed by false allegations as well as victims being harmed.World news | The Guardian: “She told Sky News in 2019 , in relation to universities’ handling of sexual assault allegations: “we don’t want to see victims harmed, but we also don’t want to see people harmed by false allegations”.”
- SupportedThe Queensland Police Service says there is no evidence that many women make vexatious reports of sexual violence and that false allegations are very rare.World news | The Guardian: “The Queensland Police Service, on its website , says there is “no evidence that many women make vexatious reports” of sexual violence and that the rate of false allegations is “very low”.”
- SupportedKaren Bevan said leaders’ words about sexual violence are heard by people deciding whether to disclose what happened to them.World news | The Guardian: “The CEO of Full Stop Australia, Karen Bevan, said “what leaders say about sexual violence is heard by every person deciding whether to tell someone what happened to them”.”
- SupportedBevan said 92% of women in Queensland who experience sexual assault never report it to police.World news | The Guardian: ““In Queensland, 92% of women who experience sexual assault never report it to police.”
- SupportedStoker’s office did not address specific questions sent on Tuesday, including whether her past statements aligned with the government’s promise to put victims at the heart of government.World news | The Guardian: “Stoker’s office did not address specific questions sent on Tuesday, including whether her prior statements were consistent with the state government’s promise to put “victims at the heart of government”.”
- SupportedTame said Stoker had played into gaslighting directed at victim-survivors.World news | The Guardian: ““Amanda has essentially played into the overarching gaslighting that is directed at victim survivors,” Tame said.”