A former Queensland Police assistant commissioner says officers did "less than the minimum" and made "major" mistakes ahead of a domestic violence murder last year.
Browns Plains woman Doreen Langham, 49, was killed when her unit was set on fire by her ex-partner Gary Hely in February, 2021, with both of them inside.
Ms Langham had spoken with sixteen police officers and had a domestic violence order issued against Hely, but the inquest heard he breached it numerous times, including by breaking into her home, conducting sex acts on her bed, threatening her life and eventually ending it.
On the final day of the inquest at the Southport Magistrates Court, former assistant police commissioner Clem O'Regan said officers did not meet the minimum standards required when responding to the call-out.
He said two in particular "did not listen" to what Ms Langham was saying, which included details about Hely burning down a former partner's home, alleged stalking and entering her home with intent.
Mr O'Regan said that information indicated Ms Langham was at major risk and should have prompted an entirely different police response to what she received.
"They don't hear her say the same thing, again, again — they don't hear her say he burnt down one of their houses," he said.
"Minutes into the discussion [the officer] actually takes another job.
"That shows how they're going to interact with this one — to get onto the next one.
"If the officers heard what was being said it would have changed the risk profile and created a whole different scenario.
"If they knew the history that would have changed the whole way this job was dealt with.
State Coroner Jane Bentley said she was bewildered by what she had heard during the inquest regarding the police response.
"It seems from what's been heard in the inquest and evidence given that there was a total lack of any real policing response to any of Ms Langham's complaints or contact with police," she said.
"It seems even though they were told about criminal matters, they treated it as civil because she wasn't bloody, injured or had property damage.
'Administrative process'
According to Mr O'Regan, many officers did not want to perform the "hours" of administrative work involved in issuing a domestic violence order.
"Crews have to come back to the office and do the administrative process to get to another job," he said.
He was asked if the paperwork created a reluctance to issue protection notices.
"I wouldn't say reluctance, but there's a strong increase in 'No DV' or 'DV other' — and that's something, if I was police commander still, I would be drilling down into."
Mr O'Regan told the inquest police training did not deliver enough face to face learning on domestic violence, which was necessary for the "human, emotional side".
"They need to change the type of training," he said.
"It's the cost-effective way to give training, but it doesn't necessarily change behaviours.
"Face to face training, that's practising the skill — you can't do that on a computer … I'm afraid [online learning platforms] don't cut it for cultural or real change."
Mr O'Regan said the police service was also seriously understaffed, particularly in areas like Logan.
Earlier the inquest heard the district was "down" an estimated 60 officers.
Mr O'Regan said he believed the issues uncovered in the inquest were isolated.
"There is not one overriding police culture — it's organic, it's where you are," he said.
"I think it's wrong to suggest there is a culture that's not victim-centric or that it's misogynistic.
Today the inquest also heard from Superintendent Ben Martain, who said he would "absolutely" commit to bringing in annual, compulsory, face-to-face domestic violence training.
The inquest is expected to finish today, with Ms Bentley to deliver her findings in the coming months.
