Day 6: Intervention orders
Intervention orders are an important mechanism for ensuring the safety and protection of those experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, domestic family or sexual violence.
This day of hearings will explore the intervention order systems in South Australia and what is needed to ensure this system is effective.
Transcript - Wednesday, 26 February, 2025
Morning session - from 9.30am
An introduction to intervention orders in South Australia
Catherine is a senior lawyer and team leader within the Legal Services Commission of SA, with over 15 years experience specialising in domestic and family violence. Catherine currently manages the Legal Services’ Domestic Violence Unit which provides trauma informed, legal and non-legal assistance to women who have experienced, or are experiencing, domestic violence. Catherine has also pioneered several successful health justice partnerships across the state, integrating legal with health services to enhance outcomes for vulnerable clients. In 2019 Catherine undertook the implementation and delivery of the Women’s Domestic Violence Court Assistance Service (WDVCAS) up until the end of 2022. In 2021, the WDVCAS program was presented with the Law Society of SA’s Justice Award. Catherine continues her interest in the WDVCAS program as a member of the Legal Services Family Law leadership group.
A policing perspective on South Australian intervention orders and their enforcement
Chief Inspector Kellie Watkins is currently the Officer in Charge, Family and Domestic Violence Section. She has worked for SAPOL for 20 years and was appointed to her current role in 2023. She is a qualified Police Prosecutor and across her career has been involved in investigating and prosecuting serious crimes including domestic and sexual violence. She has managed areas in Prosecution Support Branch, Operational response areas (both in metropolitan and regional areas), Organisational Reform and Family and Domestic Violence Section within the Public Protection Branch (incorporating responsibilities for the Multi-Agency Protection Service and the development of policy and training across the portfolios of domestic abuse, child protection, vulnerable victims including elder abuse and sexual crime).
Kellie holds tertiary qualifications including a Graduate Certificate in Applied Management (policing and Emergency Services) and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Afternoon session - from 1.45pm
What does it take to develop and maintain an effective intervention order system?
Professor Heather Douglas AM is a researcher and teacher based at the Melbourne Law School at the University of Melbourne. For over twenty years she has researched legal responses to domestic and family violence.
She coordinates the National Domestic and Family Violence Bench Book and is a Deputy Director of the ARC Centre of Excellence for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (CEVAW).
The views of frontline workers, victim-survivors and people who use violence in relation to intervention orders
Mary is General Manager of Embolden, South Australia’s peak body for domestic, family and sexual violence services. She represents South Australia on the National Plan Advisory Group and the Board of WESNET, the national peak body for domestic and family violence services. With a background in social work and social policy, Mary has a longstanding commitment to social justice and gender equality and significant cross-sector experience in service delivery, strategic policy, project management and research.
