Fines or Jail for Controlling a Partner Through Abuse and New Protections for Children Groomed for Sexual Offences
Justice Legislation Amendment (Family Violence, Coercive Control, Good Character, Risk Assessment and Other Matters) Bill 2026
Legislative Assembly
Legislative Council
Assent
Topics
child safety coercive control court fines court sentencing criminal justice domestic violence family violence public safety sentencing sexual grooming victim protection youth justice +7 more
Introduced by: Sonya Kilkenny MP (ALP); Jaclyn Symes MLC (ALP)
Links to official parliament websites
Effects of this bill
If this bill passes, it means that:
Coercive control in intimate partner relationships is now a criminal offence. This applies when a person uses a pattern of physical, sexual, emotional, or economic abuse against their partner.
The court can extend or change a final family violence intervention order on its own. To do this, the court must be sure the respondent committed a relevant offence against a protected person. The court must also get consent from the protected adults or their guardians.
When sentencing an offender, the court must not consider the offender's previous good character.
The court can now make a personal safety intervention order if a person grooms a child under 16 for a sexual offence.
Authors of sentencing references must state they are aware of the crime and that the court will use the reference for sentencing.
Eligible people can now use work and development permits to pay court fines.
The Family Violence Scheme now lets people waive or refund fines for certain excessive speed infringements if family violence prevented them from nominating the actual driver.
When sentencing a child for a sexual offence, the Children's Court must not consider the child's lack of previous convictions if that lack of a record helped the child commit the offence.