The daughter of a domestic violence murder victim, who a coroner found was systematically failed by Queensland police, is urging the state government to stamp out the practice of police investigating themselves.
Shayne Probert’s mother, Doreen Langham, was killed when her ex-partner set fire to her townhouse, south of Brisbane, in 2021.
In the two weeks before she was murdered, Langham had contact with 16 police officers. An inquest last year found police had failed to protect Langham and that she received a “poor response from numerous officers”, which the coroner said was the result of “inadequate training and acute understaffing … coupled with an ever increasing demand for services”.
The police’s Ethical Standards Command separately found “there were multiple instances” where officers had not taken “an opportunity to investigate” further.
Probert, who has since launched the domestic violence charity Doreen’s Shining Light Foundation, said she initially held “high hopes” when a commission of inquiry was called last year to investigate police responses to domestic violence in the state.
But eight months on, she is dismayed by the government’s response and accusations that the state’s corruption watchdog want to “water down” a planned police integrity unit to investigate all complaints against officers.
“Did they not listen when being told the old system is a complete failure?” she told Guardian Australia.
“The [Queensland police service] may have failed mum but it is now the government who is failing every victim, victim survivor and family that has lost loved ones.
“It’s not just civilians that are victims, police officers are too. If they can’t feel safe to come forward, what hope do us civilians have?”
The commission of inquiry into police responses to domestic violence last year unearthed shocking evidence of racism, sexism and failures of duty within the Queensland police service.
The Queensland government initially accepted all 78 recommendations from the inquiry “in principle”, but later said a police integrity unit (PIU) would need further consideration.
Guardian Australia understands that during a meeting in April, the Crime and Corruption Commission (CCC) and the QPS expressed opposition to the model recommended by the inquiry, citing concerns about resourcing and government funding.
On Monday a government spokesperson said they will “continue to implement the historic overhaul of laws and practices to better protect Queensland women from domestic and family violence and hold perpetrators to account”.
“This action is in accordance with recommendations from both the commission of inquiry and the Coaldrake review,” they said.
“The CCC and the QPS are currently working through the design of further improvements.”
The CCC declined to comment. The QPS said it was consulted by the CCC while the agency was “developing options for consideration by the government”.
But criminologist Janet Ransley said the inquiry’s recommendations represent “best practice in the investigation of police conduct”.
“Anything less than the full implementation of an independent police integrity model will fail to prevent the continuation of the misconduct that was revealed at the inquiry,” she said.
An LNP spokesperson accused the government of “keeping Queenslanders in the dark.”
“More than [eight] months after the Palaszczuk Labor government said there would be a ‘watershed reform program’ in response to the scathing A Call for Change report, we are still yet to hear a full government response to the recommendations,” they said.
“Premier [Annastacia] Palaszczuk has failed to explain where the recommendations are up to, and whether the government has committed to them fully.”
The Greens MP for Maiwar, Michael Berkman, said a “genuinely independent integrity unit is the least this government should do to stop the rot”.
“Palaszczuk needs to clarify whether she backs this watered-down rebrand of the failed status quo, where police investigate themselves with limited oversight, despite clear conflicts of interest.
“Dismissing the inquiry’s key recommendation means protecting crooked and dangerous cops, and further undermining public trust in the system.”
In Australia, the national family violence counselling service is on 1800 737 732. In the UK, call the national domestic abuse helpline on 0808 2000 247, or visit Women’s Aid. In the US, the domestic violence hotline is 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). Other international helplines may be found via www.befrienders.org
