Coercive control Implementation and Evaluation Taskforce

The NSW Parliament recognised the complexities of the coercive control offence and the importance of its considered implementation. This included the simultaneous need for training of criminal justice agencies and broader public education, and system and sector readiness. To address this, the definition and offence would not commence until 2024 to allow for training, education and system readiness. The domestic abuse definition commenced 1 February 2024 and the coercive control offence commenced 1 July 2024.

The Act also requires that an Implementation and Evaluation Taskforce (the Taskforce) be formed to provide advice to the Minister on training and education, precise commencement dates, and consultation with stakeholders, particularly with sector-specific Reference Groups. The Taskforce will have an ongoing role to monitor the coercive control reform.

The Taskforce provision commenced on 1 December 2022. The Taskforce was then formed and first met in December 2022. 

Taskforce membership (as of June 2024)

Statutory members appointed under section 54I(2)

• Secretary, Department of Communities and Justice (Chairperson)
• Deputy Secretary, Strategy, Policy and Commissioning, Department of Communities and Justice and Chair of the Domestic and Family Violence and Sexual Assault Council (Deputy Chairperson)
• Assistant Commissioner, NSW Police Force
• Member from the domestic and family violence sector with substantial expertise and experience in domestic and family violence service delivery (independent member)

Government member agencies

• Deputy Secretary, Aboriginal Affairs NSW, Premier's Department
• Chief Executive Officer, Multicultural NSW 
• Deputy Secretary, Health System Strategy and Patient Experience, NSW Health 
• Executive Director, Criminal Law Division, Legal Aid NSW
• Executive Director, Strategy and Economic Policy, Department of Regional NSW
• Executive Director, Health and Stronger Communities, NSW Treasury 
  
• Executive Director, Social Policy, The Cabinet Office
• NSW Women’s Safety Commissioner.

Taskforce meeting dates for 2024 

Meeting 9.      14 February

Meeting 10.    8 April

Meeting 11.    15 May

Meeting 12.    19 June

Meeting 13.    30 October

Meeting 14.    12 December 

Reports

The Taskforce is required to provide advice on its main purposes (section 54I(3) of the Crimes Act 1900) to the Attorney General every six months until the offence of coercive control commences, and annually thereafter. 

Read the first Statutory Report tabled on 21 June 2023: Crimes Legislation Amendment (Coercive Control) Act 2022: Statutory Report (PDF, 555.5 KB)

Read the second Statutory Report tabled on 19 December 2023: Crimes Legislation Amendment (Coercive Control) Act 2022: December 2023 Statutory Report (PDF, 921.5 KB)

Read the third Statutory Report tabled in June 2024: Crimes Legislation Amendment (Coercive Control) Act 2022: June 2024 Statutory Report (PDF, 2.5 MB)

The next report will be published in July 2025.