Crimes (Coercive Control) Amendment Bill 2026
28 May 2026:
A parliamentary committee is reviewing this bill and can call for public submissions, before reporting back to parliament — this can take up to six months.
Introduced by: The Hon Marisa Paterson MLA (ALP) — Minister, Minister for Corrections, Minister for Gaming Reform, Minister for Police, Fire and Emergency Services, Minister for the Prevention of Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence, Minister for Women
Effects of this bill
If this bill passes, it means that:
Adults commit a crime if they use a pattern of family violence to coerce or control a family member; the conduct must be likely to cause harm or fear of harm.
People convicted of coercive control face up to 7 years in prison; they may also be fined up to 700 penalty units (2026: $112,000).
Courts and juries do not need to be satisfied about the details of every single incident of violence; they only need to be sure a pattern of conduct existed.
Prosecutors do not have to prove that every single act of violence was intended to coerce or control the victim.
Victims of coercive control can now access financial assistance under the Victims of Crime (Financial Assistance) Act 2016.
The Minister for Domestic Violence Agencies establishes an advisory committee to provide guidance on how the coercive control laws are implemented.
The Attorney-General must review these laws after three years; a report must be given to the Legislative Assembly within one year of the review starting.
To prove coercive control, the prosecution must describe the nature of the conduct and the time period it happened.
Coercive control is now listed as reportable conduct under the Ombudsman Act 1989.
ACT government tables coercive control laws
Marisa Paterson MLA, ACT Minister for the Prevention of Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence — 2026-05-28
So what we’ve done with the legislation is to introduce an offence that looks at a pattern of behaviour, so this is a pattern of coercing or controlling behaviour that can happen over a long period of time.