There will be tougher sentences for family and domestic violence perpetrators after laws passed the ACT Legislative Assembly on Wednesday.
Under the new laws, courts would have to give specific consideration in sentencing a person who is convicted of a family violence crime.
ACT Attorney-General Shane Rattenbury said the government wanted to make it clear there was no space for domestic violence in Canberra's community and the laws would send a "strong signal" that perpetrators would face strong accountability.
The considerations would include certain elements such as whether the offending occurred at home, if a child was present or if the offender has any previous convictions for serious family violence offences.
"The court always has the discretion to take into account all of the circumstances but this law is about making sure they take into account these circumstances and potentially do provide more serious penalties if the matter warrants," Mr Rattenbury said.
The Crimes Bill amendment also expands the use of body-worn cameras for police, which will clarify that police are allowed to use cameras when they are on private property. Mr Rattenbury said this would help in family violence circumstances.
"Body-worn cameras provide a clear factual account of what happened and I think both protect police and protect the community," he said.
"If you can imagine a circumstance where police are entering a tense situation where family violence is potentially taking place, having that evidence from the body-worn camera could be relevant to the subsequent court proceedings and can provide an important protection for all involved."
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The laws, which will come into effect in about a week, will apply to any sentencing of family violence offences, even those that are already before the court.
The Canberra Liberals supported the amendment, with Opposition Leader Elizabeth Lee saying she would keep a close eye on the implementation of the laws.
Earlier this year, Ms Lee put forward a draft bill that would make family and domestic violence an aggravating offence, meaning courts would be compelled to treat such offences more seriously.
Mr Rattenbury said the government expected to introduce further reforms, including making family and violence an aggravating offence later this year.
