Sentencing sexual and domestic violence

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This content has information about sexual violence offences that readers may find distressing. If this raises any issues for you and you need to talk to someone, help is available.

The Council provides advice to the Queensland Attorney-General on sentencing matters when asked. This includes recommendations for improvements where needed.

In May 2023 we were asked to review certain aspects of sentencing for crimes involving sexual violence and domestic and family violence in Queensland.

Further details about the review are outlined in the Terms of Reference.

In December 2024, we completed the first part of this review, focusing on the sentencing of sexual assault and rape offences.

The second part of our review, examining sentencing reforms for domestic and family violence, is ongoing. Once finalised, we will share any recommendations to the Attorney-General, including suggestions for their implementation.

While the government may consider and adopt some or all our recommendations, the final decisions remain at their discretion.

Key dates

The final report on the sentencing of sexual assault and rape offences was delivered to the Attorney-General on 16 December 2024.

The final report on the sentencing of domestic and family violence offences will be delivered to the Attorney-General on 27 February 2026.

Next steps

Domestic and family violence sentencing review

Feedback on the Consultation Paper has now been received and is being reviewed.

Our findings and any recommendations will be included in the final report, which is on track to be delivered by 27 February 2026.

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