Victims of domestic violence who have taken out apprehended violence orders will no longer be unprotected when they cross state borders from Saturday, as a national database of restraining order information across the nation begins operation.
The states agreed to share information on apprehended domestic violence orders - a kind of restraining order - at an earlier Council of Australian Governments meeting.
Last April, NSW became the first state to create legislation enabling it to join the creation of a national database.
With the passage of laws across the states, the new database will now be available to all police and court agencies allowing for the transfer of documents to ensure the conditions of restraining order carry legal force even when victims or perpetrators move interstate.
"Making new orders automatically enforceable nationwide reduces stress for victims," said the Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence, Pru Goward. "Victims will only have to go through the process once [...and not worry] when they relocate".
Under the scheme, orders granted interstate will carry the same force of law as a local order. Offenders can be prosecuted for breaching an order granted in one state even if they do so in another.
The database will take effect from Saturday - the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, and White Ribbon Day.
While the legislation will not apply retrospectively, victims of domestic violence who have obtained orders before the start of the new system can apply to any court to have them recognised under the new system.
The state government says it is aiming to have courts process pre-existing orders within two days.
To protect victims' privacy, perpetrators will not be informed that the order has been registered in a new jurisdiction.
The scheme also allows for the enforcement of trans-Tasman domestic violence orders.
While they will not be automatically added to Australian database, a New Zealand victim of domestic violence who has taken out a restraining order in that country can apply to have it registered in any Australian state, where it will automatically be given the same status for interstate enforcement.
The state government will inform women who have been victims of domestic violence about the new scheme through outreach services, the police, the court system and in media advertisements.
