Members of the federal government's own expert advisory panel on sexual violence have issued an urgent call for independent national oversight of police forces across Australia. This demand follows shocking revelations about Queensland Police's failures in the case of Kardell Lomas, a 31-year-old First Nations woman who was killed despite repeatedly seeking protection.
A System Failure
Kardell Lomas, a Kamilaroi and Mununjali woman, had sought help from police and multiple agencies in the months preceding her death. Guardian Australia's Broken Trust series revealed that police failed to adequately investigate evidence of domestic violence or protect her from her dangerous partner.
Her body was later discovered in the boot of a car. Lomas was pregnant at the time of her death, adding further tragedy to an already horrific case.
Expert Panel's Urgent Warning
A statement signed by 16 of the 20 members of the government's sexual violence expert advisory panel has called on Attorney General Michelle Rowland to take "urgent, decisive action". The experts revealed they had repeatedly warned about chronic police failures during the Australian Law Reform Commission's inquiry into justice responses to sexual violence.
"We brought forward lived experience, organisational data, and decades of frontline insight," the statement declares. "We made clear that victim-survivors, especially those already marginalised, cannot rely on a system that routinely dismisses or delays their pleas for help."
The panel expressed deep concern that the inquiry's recommendations didn't go far enough to address systemic issues, particularly affecting First Nations women.
Family Seeks Justice Through Inquest
Lomas's family has applied for a coronial inquest to examine police failures in her case. Queensland Attorney General Deb Frecklington is currently considering their application.
The expert panel's statement strongly supports this move while calling for broader reform. They demand "immediate national action to establish truly independent oversight of police responses to violence in every state and territory."
"Without meaningful accountability, preventable deaths will continue," the experts warned, highlighting that most complaints about police are still investigated by other police officers rather than independent bodies.
In Queensland specifically, a 2022 inquiry recommended creating a civilian-led integrity unit to handle police complaints, but implementation has stalled, leaving the recommendation's future uncertain.
The case echoes previous failures, including the police response before the death of Hannah Clarke, where a whistleblower's complaint to the Crime and Corruption Commission was referred back to police for investigation.
