More than half of calls to one of Queensland’s domestic violence helplines went unanswered in a single month last year, a government-commissioned audit has found. The report, tabled in parliament on Thursday, revealed that in October 2024, only 41.9% of calls to DVConnect’s Womensline were answered. The service runs several helplines including Mensline and Womensline, offering crisis counselling, safety planning, emergency transport and accommodation.
The audit, conducted by the firm BDO and commissioned by the state’s Liberal National Party government, found that response rates had declined from March 2023 until roughly December 2024, with the best rate standing at 87%. Minister for the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence Amanda Camm described the findings as “damning,” adding that the human consequences were impossible to quantify. “We would never know who has picked up the phone and their phone call has gone unanswered – and if that has resulted in any form of injury, death or any other serious event, that would be tragedy,” she said.
The report also found that actual staff hours worked “consistently fell below” rostered hours. In December 2023, staff worked just 57% of expected hours. The report did not identify why, but Camm blamed a hiring freeze and poor rostering practices. DVConnect had imposed a hiring freeze to shift staff from a now-terminated contract with Telstra’s 1800RESPECT service, a relationship that became “fraught”. The state government “effectively covered the lost millions of dollars” from that contract.
The audit recommended clearer government expectations, a formal engagement process, and a clear agreement on adequate resourcing. Camm noted that since adopting a new triage system, the rate of abandoned calls had dropped dramatically, with a 73% response rate. The state government has budgeted $31.3 million over four years to double both Womensline and Mensline capacity and to establish a new 24/7 crisis line and hub in North Queensland.
