The head of Queensland’s Police Union has taken the stand at an inquest into the horrific murder of Hannah Clarke and her children, saying the basic training officers receive on domestic violence was “lacking”.
Ian Leavers made the frank admissions as the inquest into the deaths of Ms Clarke, her ex-husband Rowan Baxter and their children Aaliyah, 6, Laianah, 4 and Trey, 3, entered its seventh day.
Domestic and family support agencies who dealt with the family before the gruesome incident will also give evidence.
The court on Tuesday was told an average call-out for a domestic violence incident could take four to five hours for a police officer.
Mr Leavers said domestic and family violence was still a “very complex issue” that took up 40 per cent of police work across the state.
The Police Union president said streamlining red tape and paperwork and putting a national framework would allow officers to make better determinations on protecting victims of family violence.
“It has to be done,” Mr Leavers said.
“There is a great bureaucracy around the reporting of family and domestic violence, we need to simplify the process so police can better protect victims.
“We can and should be doing better.”
Multiple eyewitnesses who watched the horrific killing of Hannah and her children on February 19, 2020 have already recounted the young mum’s harrowing last moments.
That morning, Baxter ambushed the family on their way to school, dousing the car in petrol.
He then set the vehicle on fire while the children were in the back seat.
Mr Leavers said police training for domestic and family violence was “lacking” and police felt “hamstrung” by the legislation.
The court was told face-to-face training had been limited over the past few years due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“A lot of police feel likxjmtzywe with the lack of training they’re letting victims and the community down through no fault of their own,” he said.
“(Online training) is not serving the purpose it needs to do.”
The admissions come a day after the coroner released distressing footage of Hannah Clarke meeting with police moments after Baxter abducted one of the children on Boxing Day 2019.
In the footage, she tells the police Baxter had said he wasn’t going to bring four-year-old Laianah back, calling him a “psycho” who was “pulling a stunt”.
“He took the middle one and just took off with her in my car. And now he’s trying to play games with me,” a frantic Hannah says.
The inquest continues.
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