Victims’ Commissioner resigns after DV hotline debacle
Savannah Meacham |
A leading victims advocate has resigned after a report uncovered “significant damage” while she was in charge of a domestic violence helpline.
Former DVConnect chief executive Beck O’Connor has stepped down as Queensland’s first Victims’ Commissioner, effective from September 23.
Ms O’Connor had come under fire after a recent review of the state’s government contracted support agency DVConnect.
The damning findings claimed there was a lack of transparency from the service she helmed during contract negotiations with the former Labor government.
DVConnect failed to disclose to the government that it had lost a multimillion-dollar contract with Telstra to deliver the 1800RESPECT service, the review found.
Ms O’Connor was the chief executive of DVConnect during this time but resigned in July last year to become the Victims’ Commissioner.
Her new role included systemic reviews on matters relating to victims of crime, consulting with the vulnerable group, and making recommendations to the government.
Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence Minister Amanda Camm slammed Ms O’Connor over the failed Telstra deal after the damning review.
“The negotiations led by the former CEO of DVConnect have caused significant damage to the relationship and trust between the service and our government – relationships that are crucial to helping victim-survivors,” she told this month’s budget estimates.
The review also uncovered that between July 2023 and March 2025, the total number of abandoned calls to DVConnect’s WomensLine increased by 388 per cent, with an average wait time of 13 minutes.
Three months after Ms O’Connor left her role with DVConnect, the helpline reached a peak of 58.3 per cent of calls going unanswered with workforce issues to blame.
Ms O’Connor denied any wrongdoing following the review, arguing that none of Australia’s domestic violence services had enough funding during the “most challenging conditions in the sector’s history”.
“I have been relentless in working to improve the services and responding to the growing demand,” she said in a statement.
Victim Support Minister Laura Gerber thanked Ms O’Connor for her time in the role and her efforts to promote the charter of victims’ rights and advocacy on issues affecting vulnerable Queenslanders.
“In her time as Victims’ Commissioner, Ms O’Connor raised awareness of victims’ rights and ensured victims of crime have had a priority,” Ms Gerber told parliament on Tuesday.
There will be acting arrangements in place until the appointment of a new commissioner.
Queensland has been hit hard by domestic violence with 19,658 offenders recorded in 2023-24, behind NSW’s 34,055 offenders, national data shows.
Reforms are expected to pass the state parliament this week to give officers the power to issue immediate police protection directions in a bid to reduce trauma through exposure to the courts.
The laws also ensure 150 domestic violence offenders are monitored by GPS tracking under a trial program from July 1.
1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)
Lifeline 13 11 14
Men’s Referral Service 1300 766 491
AAP
