The Tasmanian government has announced a raft of changes to the state’s family violence laws, including a new levy on offenders believed to be the first of its kind in Australia.
Attorney-General Guy Barnett unveiled the first round of reforms on Thursday, saying the $500 levy would be imposed on people convicted of serious family violence offences, on top of any fine, sentence or court costs.
Money raised through the levy would go to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Fund to support victim-survivors.
“Why should the public be responsible for the costs that flow from the family violence that has occurred?” Barnett said.
“This nation-first levy recognises that not only are there massive human costs for victim-survivors, but there are often financial costs for those fleeing family violence.”
The reforms also extend the time limit for reporting coercive control offences from one year to two years.
Margaret Chandler from Tasmania Legal Aid’s Safe at Home program said many victims don’t come forward quickly.
“People very rarely come in after the first instance or the second instance or the third instance and we would have people coming forward easily after twenty years’ worth of family violence,” Chandler said.
“However, mostly the conduct had occurred within the last two years and sampling the last two years of conduct would be sufficient to ground the offense.”
The package also tightens laws around non-fatal strangulation by creating a new lower-court charge.
Chandler said this would help capture cases where the physical evidence of strangulation was less severe but the behaviour was still terrifying.
“Some strangulation, although it is still very frightening, may involve merely putting a hand around the neck and victims often know that that signifies a threat of more serious harm,” she said.
Other changes include stronger protections for renters experiencing family violence, clearer definitions of economic and emotional abuse, and expanded reporting protections for people who flag family violence concerns to police.
The government received 69 submissions in response to a discussion paper on the Family Violence Act.
Minister for Women and Prevention of Family Violence Jane Howlett said the 2026-27 budget includes $82 million for family violence prevention and support services.
“We want all Tasmanians to be safe, equal and respected, living free from family violence,” Howlett said.
Labor MP Anita Dow said the opposition “will be supporting” the legislation.
“Family violence is a terrible indictment across our community and particularly in my electorate of Braddon, we’ve got higher incidences of family domestic violence than any other part of the state and the least crisis accommodation. ”
Dow said she was “disappointed” not to see funding for crisis and emergency accommodation in the north-west.
“There is a dire need for more crisis accommodation right across the state and it is high time that this government made its response to family violence a priority in this state. ”
A draft bill is expected to be released for public consultation in late July, with further reforms planned over the next 18 months.
