A Townsville woman wants an inquest into the death of her estranged husband to spark police reform, alleging her repeated reports to officers were rebuffed in the lead up to a Christmas Day siege.
John Fredrick Schulte took his own life while police negotiators were outside his home on the night of December 25, 2018, a pre-inquest conference in the Queensland Coroner's Court has heard.
The court heard his estranged wife — referred to as Samantha at her request — had received text messages from Mr Schulte with pictures of him holding a bullet to his head and a loaded rifle under his chin hours before his death.
The images prompted her to call triple-0, sparking a widescale police operation that resulted in the neighbourhood being evacuated.
Police response in focus
Samantha told the ABC she had spent the past three years pushing for the coronial inquest.
"When I went to the police for help in 2018 I expected my concerns to be taken seriously and for the police to respond quickly and appropriately," she said.
"Unfortunately, that is not what I experienced."
The inquest will investigate three key reports Samantha made in the month leading up to her estranged husband's death.
"I feel that the officers I spoke to disregarded my concerns, made me feel as though I was overreacting and wasting their time and failed to take steps to ensure my safety and the safety of my children," she said.
In her submission to the Coroner, counsel assisting Claire Grant said Samantha had told police of her husband's emotional, psychological and verbal abuse, and the times he had repeatedly sexual assaulted her.
The court heard Mr Schulte had made threats to harm Samantha, their children and himself with firearms he had access to.
'He's going to kill me' court hears
Ms Grant read part of a report Samantha had made to police.
"I want you to go back there and put this on the record," Ms Grant told the court.
"He is going to kill me, my kids and himself, so when this happens there needs to be a formal record of the complaint."
The court heard police classified the matter as a street check rather than a domestic and family violence-related event.
There were no domestic violence orders in place at the time of Mr Schulte's death.
The inquest will also investigate the role of further specialist training in domestic violence for general duties police and specialist domestic violence risk managers.
Survivor hopes for change
Samantha wants the inquest to motivate other survivors to report their experience of police responses to domestic violence in Townsville.
"It is fortunate that the hearing of the inquest will coincide with the Independent Commission of Inquiry into Queensland Police Service responses into domestic and family violence," she said.
"I encourage those women to tell their stories to the Independent Commission of Inquiry.
"Our voices are stronger together and together we can help to change the way that police respond to us when we seek their help and protection."
Samantha is represented by Klaire Coles from Caxton Legal Centre, the same firm that represented Sue and Lloyd Clarke in the inquest into the death of Hannah Clarke and her three children.
