It has been a year of achievement for Chief Inspector Grant Marcus of the Queensland Police Service’s Bundaberg Patrol Group when it comes to the area of domestic and family violence.
In May, Chief Inspector Grant Marcus was pleased to see the DFV Free Matters to Me community working group official launch come to fruition after the group had been working towards this significant event since its inception in March 2024.
The Community Leaders Forum, was about bringing together important leaders within the Bundaberg community and providing them with an update on the crisis level of DFV still occurring in their community and to highlight the actions of the Community Working Group over the past 12 months to help address this crisis.
It enabled community leaders from across the Bundaberg region to make a public commitment to saying no to DFV and to commit to playing a role to raise awareness, improve prevention and provide practical assistance to end DFV in the Bundaberg region.
From here, Chief Inspector Marcus was able to attend the inaugural Together in Prevention Local Government Forum in Mackay where Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence Minister Amanda Camm was a keynote speaker.
Representatives from 18 Local Government areas – council staff and elected officials coming together to further their existing practices in preventing domestic and family violence, and seeking to build momentum for community level change.
Bundaberg was well represented by staff from the Bundaberg Regional Council and the Queensland Police Service.
Chief inspector Grant Marcus presented on Bundaberg’s model of community action – ‘DFV Free Matters to Me’, and Ms Camm signed Bundaberg’s Commitment Wall.
Chief Inspector Marcus said it was a real honour to be asked to attend this inaugural LAGQ forum that solely focused on Domestic and Family Violence (DFV) and to present on behalf of the Bundaberg DFV Free Community Working Group.
“It provided me an opportunity to showcase to other local governments in Queensland the amazing work being undertaken by this dedicated team of community members as it tackles the crisis level of domestic and family violence occurring across the Bundaberg region,” he said.
“Bundaberg is certainly a leader in its community led approach to tackling this complex problem, with the DFV Free Matters To Me motto raising strong interest with others who attended the forum.
“Several other local and state government representatives also had the opportunity to present theirs initiatives at the forum, which meant we were able to bring back some ideas and initiatives that have been successful in other areas. Hopefully we can replicate many of these in the Bundaberg region.
“Having Minister Amanda Camm present and being able to promote to her what was being achieved in Bundaberg was a cherry on the cake, you could say.
“Minister Camm was quite impressed DFV Free Community concept and was keen to put her name to the commitment wall.”
Amanda Camm MP said domestic and family violence continued to rise across Queensland.
“As leaders, we have a responsibility to act early, support victim-survivors, and drive change that lasts,” she said.
“That is why the state government has committed $379 million this financial year to strengthen prevention and early intervention initiatives, improve services for victims/survivors and hold those who use violence to account.
“The Together in Prevention: Queensland Local Government DFV Leaders Forum was a productive gathering of people committed to safer communities.
“Thank you to every practitioner, councillor and advocate leading change in local communities throughout Queensland.”
