Legislation enabling Western Australia to participate in the National Domestic Violence Order Scheme has successfully passed through both houses of State Parliament.
The passage of the Domestic Violence Orders (National Recognition) Bill 2017 means that WA stands ready to join the national scheme, which is due to start on November 25, 2017.
The purpose of the scheme, which was agreed to by the Council of Australian Governments in December 2015, is to enhance victim safety and perpetrator accountability by making family and domestic violence restraining orders enforceable across State and Territories boundaries.
From November 25, all new orders made in one State or Territory will automatically operate across Australia. This will eliminate the need to register orders across jurisdictional boundaries. Orders made prior to November 25 may be brought within the national scheme via an application to a court.