Homicide law reform in Australia: improving access to defences for women who kill their abusers

Over the past three decades, the law of homicide has been the subject
of much academic debate, parliamentary review and various law reform commission reports throughout Australia. Such activity is largely a response to concerns about the availability and operation of the defences to homicide for women who kill in the context of family violence. The law in each state and territory in Australia differs and the issues with which reform bodies are grappling are complex. It is therefore not surprising that different recommendations have been made about how best to produce a more just law of homicide. This article explores some of these reviews and recommendations — particularly in New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria and Western Australia — and the reforms that have been planned and implemented. It will reveal that, despite sharing the core concern of improving the access to appropriate defences for women who kill their abusers, reform has been far from consistent across these jurisdictions.