Australian Capital Territory

Inquiries (Board of Inquiry—System Level Responses to Family Violence in the ACT) Appointment 2016*
Notifiable instrument NI 2016–97
made under the 
Inquiries Act 1991, s 5 (Appointment of Board of Inquiry)

1	Name of instrument
This instrument is the Inquiries (Board of Inquiry—System Level Responses to Family Violence in the ACT) Appointment 2016 

2	Commencement
This instrument commences on the day after it is signed.

3	Appointment of the Board of Inquiry
The Executive appoints Laurie Glanfield AM as the Board of Inquiry into system level responses to family violence in the ACT.

4	Terms of Reference
The Executive appoints Laurie Glanfield AM to inquire into the matters specified in the terms of reference at Schedule 1 to this instrument.

	
Andrew Barr MLA	Simon Corbell MLA
Chief Minister	Attorney-General
22 February 2016 	22 February 2016

TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR THE REVIEW INTO SYSTEM LEVEL RESPONSES TO FAMILY VIOLENCE IN THE ACT

The ACT Government is committed to reducing the incidences of domestic and family violence against women and their children. The effective and integrated operation of a number of systems in the ACT are fundamental to ensuring the safety of women and children in the Territory. 

To ensure ACT systems operate effectively and efficiently, to ensure the safety of women and their children, Mr Laurie Glanfield AM has been appointed to conduct a review of the current legislative framework, policy, practices and operations of ACT Directorates and service providers who respond to family violence. The review will be conducted in the context of the recent death of Bradyn Dillon. Any issues of [individual] responsibility will be dealt with through the criminal justice system and the coronial inquest that will ensue in due course. 

For the purposes of ensuring access to protected and sensitive information the review will be formally constituted under the Inquiries Act 1991.  However, the government expects that the review will inquire and make recommendations in relation to systemic issues.

In particular the review will consider:

•	the effectiveness of interactions between government directorates/agencies and service providers in relation to the use of mandatory reporting as prescribed by legislation and the appropriateness of responses to those reports;

•	the effectiveness of government directorates/agencies and service providers response to family violence particularly where children are involved;

•	the extent to which ACT authorities are legally able to, and do actually share and receive information on at risk families internally and with other jurisdictions.

Following the review Mr Glanfield will provide a report to the Chief Minister with key recommendations to improve system responses to domestic and family violence incidences in the ACT.

Mr Glanfield will report to the Chief Minister by 22 April 2016.

Mr Glanfield will be supported by the ACT Coordinator-General for Domestic and Family Violence and a small team.