Officially Open the Red Rose Foundation’s Conference “Breaking the Hold: Strangulation Prevention and Response”

Minister for Families, Seniors and Disability Services and Minister for Child Safety and the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence, the Honourable Amanda Camm MP; Red Rose Foundation, Founder, Ms Betty Taylor AM and CEO Ms Lucy Lord; distinguished guests; ladies and gentlemen.

Good morning and thank you for the warm welcome.

Thank you, Aaron Ruska, for that moving Welcome to Country which brings us together in a spirit of goodwill. I would also like to begin by acknowledging the Original Custodians of the lands around Brisbane, the Turrbal and Jagera people, and pay my respects to Elders past, present and emerging, and to all First Nations people here this morning.

As Governor of Queensland and Patron of the Red Rose Foundation, I am honoured to be among so many Australian and international experts for this landmark conference on the prevention of strangulation, a far too common and profoundly dangerous form of domestic violence.

From the outset, I thank the Red Rose Foundation for its leadership in organising this conference, and I acknowledge the many speakers and delegates who’ve travelled from interstate and overseas to share with us their expertise, contemporary research and practical insights. 

Everyone attending this conference brings difference experiences and perspectives, and I commend each of you for sharing a commitment to strengthen responses to non-fatal strangulation, to prevent further harm and save lives. 

Since it was founded by Ms Betty Taylor AM a decade ago, the Red Rose Foundation has remained a strong advocate for the prevention of domestic and family violence. Many Australians would have heard about the Foundation’s Red Rose Rallies or seen one of the symbolic Red Benches that dot our suburban landscapes, serving to raise public awareness about domestic and family violence.

The Foundation established Australia’s first Strangulation Trauma Centre in 2021, offering specialised support for survivors; and, along with others, successfully advocated for non-fatal strangulation to become a stand-alone criminal offence in Queensland.

This legislative reform was introduced in 2016 with the support of many people in this room. It has strengthened our justice system’s ability to protect victims and hold perpetrators to account.

Sadly, data shows that the reported incidents are increasing, among broader patterns of gender-based violence and coercive control. 

These worrying trends remind us that legislation alone is not enough. Prevention requires education, training, awareness and coordinated action across different sectors and geographical borders.

In reviewing the non-fatal strangulation offence in our State’s Criminal Code last year, the Queensland Law Reform Commission emphasised the need for a coordinated response involving the public, criminal justice personnel, health professionals and support services, including stronger education and training programs to highlight the risks and dangers and improve victim-survivors’ experiences.

I thank the Red Rose Foundation for its leadership in ensuring that strangulation is addressed with the seriousness it deserves, and I acknowledge the victim-survivors whose courage drives this work. 

This landmark conference will play a vital role in ensuring a coordinated approach, and the impact of conversations held here will extend far beyond these next two days. 

It gives me great pleasure to declare the Red Rose Foundation’s 10th Anniversary Conference: “Breaking the Hold: Strangulation Prevention and Response”, officially open.