My mum  Jacqui Lee Purton was killed in a domestic violence attack by her former partner in Tasmania on March 13, 2023 when her former partner used his vehicle to deliberately run her down.

I am calling on the Tasmanian Government to introduce Jacqui's Law, which would see the criminal code amended to:

• Provide a stronger sentencing regime for domestic violence offenders who use vehicles to scare, intimidate, coerce, abuse, injure or kill partners, former partners or other family members;
• Classify vehicles as weapons and for them to be treated with the same gravity as firearms.

WHY WE NEED JACQUI'S LAW

When James Kenneth Austin ended mum's life, he was charged with murder but the DPP pleaded him down to manslaughter.
As a result he was only sentenced to eight years in jail. Had he used a gun to kill my mum, he would be serving a life sentence for murder.
The plea was made despite Austin subjecting mum to ongoing abuse throughout their relationship, including threatening to kill her with a car.
I was 20 when mum died.  I became the full-time carer to my three little brothers.
No daughter should ever lose their mum to violence. No sister should ever have to explain to her little brothers how their mum died - or why.
I'm begging the Tasmanian Premier, Family Violence Minister and Attorney-General to make this small - but vital change. 
Law changes such as one-punch laws came into play essentially overnight..
But when it comes to our women, law changes seem impossible.
If what happened to my mother happened to a politician’s mother, Jacqui’s Law would be implemented overnight."

USING VEHICLES AS WEAPONS IS NOT NEW!
Many women across Australia are killed each year by people using vehicles as weapons. These deaths are most often prosecuted as dangerous driving or manslaughter, meaning significantly lesser sentences are applied.
In Victoria, for example, Alicia Little was deliberately run down by her partner as she was leaving the relationship in 2017. He was originally charged with murder but pleaded guilty to dangerous driving. His sentence was only four years - despite abusing Alicia throughout their relationship.

Kristy Armstrong was killed by her former partner in 2023 at Molong, NSW. He was charged over Kristy's death but died in jail. He had subjected Kristy to ongoing violence throughout their relationship.

In Queensland, Courtney Anderson died after exiting a vehicle in suspicious circumstances on April 1 near Gladstone. Her partner, whom she was leaving and who was abusive, was the driver of that car. An inquest will investigate Courtney's death after he was only charged with driving under the influence.

Rinabel Tiglao Blackmore was killed by her partner, who was also driving a vehicle at the time of her death in 2014. He was convicted on manslaughter and sentenced to less than eight years behind bars.
These cases are just the tip of the iceberg, femicide researcher and The RED HEART Campaign founder Sherele Moody says.

"As an anti-violence advocate and femicide researcher, I hear many stories each week of women who have experienced extreme trauma by aggressive partners using vehicles as weapons," Sherele say.
"The criminal code needs to treat vehicles like guns - if a person fires a rifle into a crowd and they kill someone, they are charged with murder and sentenced appropriately. If a person uses their vehicle as a weapon, the offender must be held to the same standards."The system was designed for perpetrators - not victims.
My mum's killer is currently sitting in protective custody.
Where was this level of protection for my mum?
She had a family violence order against him at the time of her death and that meant nothing.
Jacqui's Law won't bring mum back - but it might save another woman. What's more important than that. 

PLEASE SIGN & SHARE THE PETITION FOR JACQUI'S LAW