People who try to strangle their partners would be sent to jail for 14 years under the Opposition's plan to strengthen domestic violence laws in Queensland.
The suite of reforms put forward by the LNP Opposition also included a new law to penalise coercive and controlling behaviour, and allow police to issue on-the-spot Domestic Violence Orders (DVO).
The proposed overhaul was prompted by the murder of Brisbane mother Hannah Clarke and her three children at the hands of her estranged husband.
Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington said they were proposing to double the maximum penalty for non-lethal strangulation from seven to 14 years in jail.
That would make's Queensland's non-lethal strangulation laws the toughest in the country.
"Any measure needs to be put in place that can assist the victims of domestic violence," Ms Frecklington said.
"What we need to do is listen to the experts.
"If there is something that can be done within the criminal justice system to try to assist these victims, then we must be doing it."
Betty Taylor from the Red Rose Foundation said she backed the proposed overhaul.
"We have been lobbying for these changes with the strangulation legislation for some time," she said.
"Research shows strangulation is the highest indicator for a homicide.
"Stranglers have been described as the mark of a killer.
"Women who are strangled are 750 times more likely to die, either at the time of the strangulation or anywhere up to 12 months after it — it's a lethal form of violence."
'Our criminal justice system is failing'
The Opposition also proposed spending $500,000 to give personal-safety devices to people in high-risk situations, including GPS tracking.
It is also proposing one-off assistance grants of up to $2,000 be made available to victims, to help families flee and find crisis accommodation.
Ms Taylor said three women and five children had died in Queensland since the start of 2020 as a result of family violence.
"At the moment, our criminal justice system is failing victims," she said.
"It's failing to provide an adequate level of legal protection and failing miserably in holding perpetrators of violence accountable.
"We know that these measures will have the support of many police officers and prosecutors.
"I'm happy to stand up with anyone who's going to take a stronger stance," she said.
In 2016, the Government introduced legislation making strangulation a standalone offence.
Deputy Premier Jackie Trad said the Government would be keeping an "open mind" about the LNP's suggestions.
"We want evidence-based responses to what we know is an increasingly complex issue within our community," she said.
"We have changed laws, we've set up specialist services, we've pumped money into the system, but of course we know there's always more that we can do.
"The Domestic Violence Council is meeting this week and I understand the Premier will attend this meeting.
"And we want all options on the table."
