Queensland police review domestic violence rules after three deaths in four days

Updated

Queensland Police Commissioner Ian Stewart is looking at ways to better protect domestic violence victims after three deaths and one attempted murder in four days, allegedly at the hands of former partners and a parent.

Two women were killed on the Gold Coast this week, a six-year-old girl was allegedly murdered by her father in Brisbane's north and a woman was lucky to survive a machete attack in Wacol.

One of the Gold Coast victims, Tara Brown, 24, was killed less than a week after she sought help from police, only to be turned away.

The young mother was allegedly run off the road by her ex-partner and repeatedly bashed with a metal plate while trapped in her upturned car on Tuesday.

Her ex-partner and alleged former bikie Lionel Patea, 24, was charged with attempted murder, but that is expected to soon be upgraded to murder.

Commissioner Stewart said the Police Ethical Standards Command was investigating the police response to Ms Brown's request for help.

"Ms Brown did come to the Southport Police Station and raised concerns about domestic violence," he said.

"She ultimately went to the nearby courthouse and made a private application ... the circumstances surrounding that are part of an ongoing police investigation.

"The law says that we will investigate any complaint of domestic violence and we already have in place a number of checks and balances to make sure that actually occurs.

"We can always do better and we are working with the Government right now to look at other procedures potentially to make that process seamless."

On Tuesday, a 49-year-old woman was fatally shot in the head by her estranged partner at a McDonald's restaurant at Helensvale on the Gold Coast.

Witnesses saw the 57-year-old put his arm around the mother-of-four, shoot her and then turn the gun on himself.

He remains in a critical condition in hospital.

Alleged machete attacker to face court

Hours later, Brisbane police were called to Wacol where a man allegedly rammed his former partner's car before attacking her repeatedly with a machete.

It was claimed local residents used a wheelie bin and a chair leg to stop the attack until police arrived.

The 44-year-old victim was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Her ex-partner is due to face court charged with attempted murder, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, going armed to cause fear and common assault.

On Monday in Brisbane, a man allegedly killed his six-year-old daughter and attempted to murder his eight-year-old-daughter in the family home in Kedron.

Police have yet to reveal how the younger sibling died.

The girls' father, 52, faced court on Tuesday where he was remanded in custody.

Topics: domestic-violence, community-and-society, death, courts-and-trials, law-crime-and-justice, qld

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