In total, more than 2,500 calls were abandoned in that period.<\/p>\n
At its peak in October 2024, three months after Beck O’Connor left, the volume of abandoned calls was almost equal to the volume of answered calls.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The review noted this corresponded with an increase in demand that month.<\/p>\n
Those who waited to speak to a responder were in the queue for more than 20 minutes, while those who hung up waited about 13 minutes, it found.<\/p>\n
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Minister for Child Safety Amanda Camm told estimates last week she had concerns about transparency with DVConnect. (AAP: Darren England)<\/p>\n
Alleged ‘lack of transparency’<\/p>\n
A review into the service was launched in December last year,<\/a> following concerns the organisation had been underfunded.\u00a0<\/p>\n Following budget estimates hearings last week, Minister for the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence Amanda Camm expressed concerns about resource allocation at the service.<\/p>\n Ms Camm told a parliamentary hearing on Thursday evening there had been a lack of transparency from DVConnect in 2024, during contract negotiations with the former Labor government.\u00a0<\/p>\n Ms Camm alleged the service failed to disclose it had lost a multimillion-dollar contract with Telstra Health to deliver the 1800RESPECT service at the time.\u00a0<\/p>\n Ms O’Connor last week denied “any wrongdoing or impropriety”.<\/p>\n More than 300pc increase in people hanging up on DV service, report finds<\/a><\/p>\n A review into DVConnect, launched in December, has laid bare the pressure on the service amid a sharp rise in calls for help.<\/p>\n On Monday, Premier David Crisafulli said the report left “questions that need to be answered”.\u00a0<\/p>\n Ms O’Connor was the chief executive of DVConnect for five years, resigning from the role in July 2024 to become Queensland’s first victims’ commissioner.\u00a0<\/p>\n She said her term had coincided with some of the “most challenging conditions in the sector’s history”.<\/p>\n Ms O’Connor claimed none of Australia’s domestic and family violence services had enough funding to meet demand.\u00a0<\/p>\n “Throughout my tenure, I always followed governance standards. I stepped away from all operational authority and decision-making in mid-July 2024,” she said in a statement on Tuesday.<\/p>\n “I have read and reviewed the reports and would welcome any discussion with the Premier.”<\/p>\n Beck O’Connor has responded to a report into DVConnect. (ABC News: Michael Lloyd)<\/p>\n Ms O’Connor, who is currently on leave, thanked those who had reached out to her privately, saying victim-survivors would always be her priority.<\/p>\n “As Queensland\u2019s independent victims\u2019 commissioner, I remain focused on the work that matters most \u2014 amplifying the voices of victim-survivors, advocating for system-wide reforms, and ensuring every decision is guided by their safety and dignity,” she said.<\/p>\n Minister for Victim Support Laura Gerber’s office confirmed it was seeking a meeting with Ms O’Connor upon her return.<\/p>\n Minister for Victim Support Laura Gerber’s office confirmed it was seeking a meeting with Ms O’Connor. (AAP: Jono Searle)<\/p>\n ‘Relentless’ dedication to victim-survivors<\/p>\n Ms O\u2019Connor said she had spent her career standing alongside victims of domestic and family violence.\u00a0<\/p>\n Family and domestic violence support services:1800 Respect National Helpline<\/a>: 1800 737 732DV Connect Women’s Line<\/a>:\u00a01800 811 811MensLine<\/a>: 1300 789 978Kids Helpline<\/a>:\u00a01800 55 1800Lifeline<\/a>\u00a0(24-hour Crisis Line): 13 11 14<\/p>\n “As a professional and as someone who has lived through it, I know how vital it is that help comes with compassion, urgency and a focus on safety,” she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n “I have been relentless in working to improve the services and responding to the growing demand, ensuring governments on both sides knew and understood the pressure the whole DFV victim support sector was, and still is continuing to face.”<\/p>\n She said these challenges included rising call volumes and the “increasing complexity” of what people experiencing violence were living through.<\/p>\n Queensland Premier David Crisafulli said a report into DVConnect showed there were “questions that need to be answered”. (ABC News: Cameron Lang)<\/p>\n Mr Crisafulli said the victims\u2019 commissioner was an important role and one people needed to have “faith in”.\u00a0<\/p>\n “I just would like to see answers, and I think so do Queenslanders, and we’re doing it in a respectful way.\u00a0<\/p>\n “There have been questions that have been raised, and they are serious questions, and [Ms O\u2019Connor] deserves an opportunity to afford answers to us.”<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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