Another "talkfest"

Here's a loaded question; "We are talking about using the law to save lives. Who can argue with that?"

Me. Laws are breakable. Laws do not tell us what is moral or immoral. The more laws we have the less we respect them. We should be valuing human life - not the law.

The question came out of a hui on domestic violence which was attended by 80 people over the weekend. The major complaint appears to be that the courts are not doing enough to protect women from domestic violence.

The (Domestic Violence) act expressly lowered the threshold of the level of violence considered severe enough for a protection order without notice to be granted.

Delegates and speakers said more and more protection orders were being put on notice, meaning women needing immediate protection were often being left without court order protection for several weeks.

The DVA allows for yelling at somebody to be defined as violence. And it is my understanding that the protection order facility has been abused.

Genuine domestic violence is ugly and it kills but no amount of law is going to protect someone from a partner or ex who is out of control. In the worst case scenario a protection order is about as useful as a microchip in a savage dog.

These people, as well-meaning as they may be, are barking up the wrong tree.