Anna Watson backs new coercive control bill despite failings

During the debate on new laws which will criminalise coercive control in intimate partner relationships, Ms Watson apologised to domestic violence victims that the bill had failings, but said she would not let "perfect be the enemy of good".

The bill passed in the Lower House on Wednesday night and will go on to be considered in the Upper House.

Ms Watson - who first introduced a private members bill on coercive control in 2020 - said the bill "should have been watertight to truly protect all victims".

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"To every victim of coercive control, many of whom can no longer speak for themselves due to the disgraceful behaviour of their intimate partners, I am truly sorry that the bill has taken so long and that the Government has not undertaken sufficient consultation," she said.

"Some 99 per cent of domestic homicides start with coercive control. Unfortunately the proposed legislation does not go far enough to give the appropriate safety net to victims and their children."

She highlighted a number of concerns with the bill, including its definitions and the fact that the victim must prove coercive control.

"I do not know how that looks in court. How does a woman prove in a court that her perpetrator has not allowed her to seek medical attention? How does she prove that her perpetrator has withheld finances from her? How does she prove that her perpetrator sexually abused her multiple times a week?," Ms Watson asked.

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"I am not too sure how that would work... I still cannot understand why the burden of proof should be on the victim and not the perpetrator."

"Despite its faults, I will not let the perfect be the enemy of the good. I will support the bill. But it will come with a promise to advocates and victims of coercive control: I will continue to fight to strengthen that legislation and I will not stop until the job is done."

Ms Watson also thanked Illawarra advocates have pushed to make coercive control a criminal offence.

"I acknowledge Dr Karen Williams, founder of Doctors Against Violence Towards Women, and recognise Sally Stevenson, executive director of the Illawarra Women's Health Centre," she said.

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"Both of those women are incredible, particularly Sally Stevenson. Sally lives and breathes the criminalisation of coercive control and other women's health issues. Sally is fierce, relentless and she does not stop until she gets the job done. If it was not for her, it would have been very difficult for me to bring my private member's bill to Parliament in 2020."

Attorney General Mark Speakman welcomed the bill's passage through parliament, highlighting that it would carry a maximum sentence of seven years in jail.

"This bill is about supporting victim-survivors held hostage in their own homes and in their own lives by domestic terrorism," he said.

"It is the product of many years of research, careful consideration and unprecedented consultation in the past two and a half years, including at least seven stages of development such as a discussion paper, a parliamentary inquiry, public exposure draft bill and roundtables.

"The Legislative Assembly has sent a clear message - this reform is important, this reform is urgent and now is the time to act.

"To address feedback from some in the domestic and family violence sector, amendments have been added with unanimous support in the House to put beyond doubt that the implementation taskforce will include NSW Police Force, the chair of the Domestic and Family Violence and Sexual Assault Council and a member from the sector with substantial expertise and experience in domestic and family violence service delivery."

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