Recommendation 19

The Commonwealth Government to expand the functions and powers of the National DFSV Commission and establish it as a statutory authority. Expanded powers should include performing a clearinghouse function, having stronger powers to gather information, and to continue monitoring the implementation and funding associated with the National Plan.

Update as at 28 November 2025

The DFSV Commission tabled its 2025 Annual Report in Parliament on 30 October 2025, to provide transparent accountability for implementation of the National Plan. The report is the Commission’s second yearly report to Parliament and provides 30 recommendations for priority activities over the next 12 months to work towards achieving the outcomes of the National Plan.

Recommendation 20

The Commonwealth and state and territory governments to further strengthen data collection, in relation to DFSV. This includes:

1. working in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to embark on a process to determine a community led approach to data collection that accounts for Indigenous data sovereignty principles;
2. increasing intersectional and disaggregated data, as well as a particular focus on improving data on regional, rural and remote communities such as the Torres Strait Islands, in addition to improving data on LGBTIQA+ experiences, experiences of people with a disability, and children and young people affected by family law processes;
3. establishing a national data set focusing on the extent and nature of perpetration to inform and improve response; and
4. prioritising enhancements to the measurements framework for the National Plan to include further quantitative targets.

Update as at 28 November 2025

The Australian Government is progressing a number of data development projects that will strengthen the collection and reporting of data related to FDSV. This includes three AIHW projects (the Prototype data collection on specialist crisis FDSV services, the FDSV Integrated Data System, and the FDSV website for monitoring and reporting on FDSV and National Plan Outcomes) and two ABS projects (Personal Safety Survey 2025-26 and the Criminal Justice Data Asset). These projects are on track for delivery and implementation over the next 1-2 years.

The Australian Government is also implementing a new data collection and data development project to deliver nationally representative data that will report on progress towards the achievement of Closing the Gap Outcome 13 and assist with the development of more meaningful and measurable targets. The Australian Government is working with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Council for Family, Domestic and Sexual Violence to determine the best approach for implementation.

The Australian Government has provided funding for the National Priority Research Fund to support ANROWS to continue its work ($27.6 million). Under the National Priority Research Fund, ANROWS has commissioned 14 research projects that focus on building the evidence base on pathways into and out of perpetration of FDSV. Eight research projects aim to inform policy and practice design for prevention and early intervention and six research projects focus on engaging sectors beyond those that specialise in FDSV, including health, education, and LGBTQIA+. Three of these research projects are led by First Nations researchers.

The Australian Government and state and territory governments are working with people with disability and the wider disability community on the National Disability Data Asset. This will bring together de-identified information from different government agencies about all Australians, providing a better understanding of the experiences of people with disability.

The New South Wales Government has begun delivery of a cross-agency NSW Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Data Strategy to guide data collection, performance monitoring and reporting.

The Victorian Government is commencing a landmark perpetrator study to improve early intervention and perpetrator intervention programs. The study will explore the latest evidence on the behaviours and motivations of perpetrators, with a view to improve early intervention and perpetrator intervention programs.

The Western Australian Government is undertaking a data linkage project to track perpetrator pathways using PeopleWA data. PeopleWA is a linked data asset administered by the Department of the Premier and Cabinet’s Office of Digital Government in partnership with several state government agencies including the Department of Communities and the Western Australian Police Force.

Recommendation 21

The Commonwealth and state and territory governments to develop a consistent approach to death review processes and improve knowledge on the relationship between DFSV and suicide. This should include:

1. establishing and uplifting death review panels across all jurisdictions, including with First Nations support units and protocols (state and territory governments);
2. strengthening national coordination and consistency of DFSV death review processes, and learning and sharing of findings (state and territory governments supported by Commonwealth); and
3. initiating an urgent inquiry into the relationship between DFSV victimisation and suicide, with a view to developing a methodology for accurate counting of the DFSV death toll (Commonwealth, state and territory governments).

Update as at 28 November 2025

All Australian Governments recognises the critical role that death reviews play in identifying where systems and efforts have failed in their support for, and interaction with, victims and perpetrators of FDSV.

The Domestic and Family Violence Death Review Program is a partnership between the Australian Domestic and Family Violence Death Review Network (the Network) and ANROWS. The partnership produces landmark research exploring FDV-related deaths in Australia. Members of the Network have specialist expertise in domestic and family violence-related issues and are able to access information from coroner’s courts, ombudsman’s offices and government agencies to produce an informed and holistic understanding of the circumstances and context of a domestic and family violence-related death.

The Australian Government announced the launch of an inquiry into domestic, family and sexual violence related suicide on 28 October 2025. The inquiry will be undertaken by the House Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs. The Committee is seeking written submissions by 30 January 2026 on the relationship between FDSV victimisation and suicide, and how more accurate data and trends on FDSV deaths can be obtained.

The New South Wales Government has invested and additional $2 million to support the NSW Domestic Violence Death Review Team. This funding will support a quantitative research project to help improve understanding of the relationship between domestic and family violence and suicide. This study will be the first in NSW to provide detailed information on state government touchpoints for people who died by suicide after recent recorded domestic and family violence incidents. This work will be supported by a qualitative research project to explore the relationship between DFV and suicide.

The Queensland Government has invested in the Data Insights Program to advance data governance and standardised data collection practices to strengthen the service sector’s capacity to collect, interpret and utilise data effectively. Consultation on the Data Collection Standards is ongoing and remains focused on refining the standards in response to stakeholder feedback. This will ensure the data collected across the domestic, family, and sexual violence system directly informs the delivery of trauma-informed, survivor-centred wellbeing services for victim-survivors.