The Domestic and Family Violence Protection and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2025 (the Act) was passed on 28 August 2025. Police Protection Directions (PPDs) commenced statewide on 1 January 2026.

Prior to January 2026, when dealing with domestic violence (DV), police would often order a Police Protection Notice (PPN) in conjunction with an application to the court for a Domestic Violence Protection Order (DVPO). A PPN can be issued by the police if immediate protection is required until the DVPO court date. DVPO’s are made for a standard period of five (5) years unless a Court is satisfied that there are reasons to justify a shorter order.

A PPD is an on-the-spot direction issued by a police officer and is valid for 12 months. PPD’s are only to be issued where it would not be more appropriate for the matter to proceed to court.

A PPD requires the respondent to not commit domestic violence against the aggrieved and any other named persons on the PPD.

Contravening a PPD is a criminal offence. The maximum penalty for contravening a PPD is 120 penalty units or 3 years imprisonment.

Upon the expiration or ending of a PPD, the protection it provides also ends. The PPD cannot be extended or reissued for the same respondent and aggrieved.

Issuance of a PPD

Police may issue a PPD when identifying or responding to a complaint, report or circumstance of DV. A PPD can only be issued when police reasonably believe:

  • The aggrieved and respondent are in a ‘relevant relationship’ (intimate personal, family or informal care relationship under the Act).
  • The respondent has committed DV against the aggrieved.
  • A PPD is necessary or desirable to protect the aggrieved from further DV.
  • None of the circumstances where a PPD must not be issued apply (see below).
  • It would not be more appropriate for an application for a protection order to be made to a court.

When issuing a PPD, the police officer must consider:

  • Any views or wishes expressed by the aggrieved about whether an application for a protection order should be made.
  • The domestic violence and criminal history of the respondent and aggrieved.

A PPD starts from when it is served on the respondent, or when a police officer tells the respondent about the PPD and its conditions.

PPD’s do not replace PPN’s or DVPO’s. PPD’s are a new way to protect victims without having to proceed to a court.

Where a PPD Must Not be Issued

PPDs cannot be issued where a police officer reasonably believes any of the following circumstances apply:

  • The respondent or aggrieved is a child, to ensure children have access to legal representation, and other benefits and supports provided by the court process.
  • The respondent or aggrieved is a police officer, to ensure DV matters involving police are not handled internally.
  • The respondent should be taken into custody in relation to the DV, ensuring the severity of the matter is acknowledged.
  • A DVPO or recognised interstate order relating to the parties is in force or has previously been in force.
  • A PPD against the respondent is in force or has previously been in force.
  • The respondent has been convicted of a DV offence within the previous 2 years.
  • A proceeding for a DV offence against the respondent has commenced but remains ongoing.
  • A proceeding for a DVPO has started but not been finalised.
  • The respondent has used, or threatened to use, an offensive weapon or instrument to commit DV.
  • There are indications that both persons in the relationship are in need of protection, and the person most in need of protection cannot be identified.
  • Other conditions (see above) are needed to protect a child of the aggrieved, or a child who usually lives with the aggrieved, from associated DV or being exposed to DV.

If a PPD names a child, or the conditions of a PPD would prevent or limit contact between the respondent and their child, the PPD cannot be issued where a police officer knows or reasonably believes:

  • A family law order relating to the child is in force.
  • A child protection order or care agreement relating to the child is in force.
  • A child protection or family law proceeding relating to the child has started but is not finalised.

Standard Conditions

Standard conditions of a PPD include that the respondent:

  • Must be of good behaviour toward the aggrieved and any named persons; and
  • Must not commit DV or associated DV against the aggrieved or named persons; and
  • Must not expose a named child to DV; and
  • Must not organise, encourage, ask, tell, force or engage another person to commit DV on their behalf.

 Other Conditions

Other conditions that may be included beyond the standard conditions include:

  • No-contact conditions that prohibit the respondent from contacting, approaching or attempting to locate the aggrieved.
  • Ouster conditions which can prevent access to certain locations.
  • Return conditions allowing the respondent to return to a place for a specific time to retrieve personal property, under supervision of police.
  • Cool-down conditions which can temporarily restrict access to certain locations and prevent the respondent from approaching or contacting the aggrieved for a certain period.

If a child is included in an order, and that order requires conditions other than standard conditions for protection, the matter must proceed to a court.

Reviewing a PPD

A PPD can be reviewed via a police review or a court review.

Police review

The respondent, aggrieved, a named person or a person authorised to represent can apply for a Police Review within 28 days of the issuance of a PPD. This period can be extended with the permission of the Police Commissioner.

A named person may only seek a review to remove their name from the PPD or change any condition(s) on the PPD that relate to the named person.

A court review may be applied for at any stage during the police review; this will immediately cease the police review.

A police review can have the following outcomes:

  • Confirmation of the PPD, meaning it will continue in force; or
  • Revocation of the PPD, meaning it will be taken to have never been issued and will not form part of the respondent’s DV or criminal history; or
  • Revocation of the PPD and the issuance of a new PPD that has different conditions or different named persons (but only if the respondent and the aggrieved are the same as the initial PPD); or
  • Revocation of the PPD and make an application for a protection order for the parties or issue a PPN; or
  • Revocation of the PPD and take other action under section 100 of the DFVP Act.

The Reviewing Officer will be a rank higher than the officer who approved the issuing of the PPD. The Reviewing Officer will either be a Senior Sergeant, Inspector or higher.

Police will engage with the parties to the PPD and seek their response regarding the application received for a Police Review to support the decision-making required by the officer.

Court Review

The respondent, the aggrieved or an authorised person for the aggrieved may apply to the Magistrates Court for a Court Review. A Court Review can be sought at any time while a PPD is in force. A named person cannot apply for a court review.

Once the PPD and grounds have been filed with the Magistrates court, the PPD itself is taken to be an application for a protection order.

Upon hearing the review, the court will consider the protective needs of the parties and whether a protection order is necessary or desirable at the time of the review. The duration of a protection order made by the court will be five years if no other period is stated by the Court.

Statutory Review

The legislative provisions for PPDs must be reviewed as soon as practicable after 1 January 2028

Our team are experts in domestic violence law. Our role is to sit down with you and work out the strategy that will get you the best possible result. If you have any questions about this article or any other topic of law, please call our team of experts on 1300 066 669.