After weeks of tireless campaigning, the grassroots movement to introduce Clare’s Law to NSW has reached a major milestone.
The petition, led by domestic violence survivor and advocate Jo Cooper and supported by Terrigal’s Dani Tillett, has officially surpassed the 20,000-signature threshold required to trigger a parliamentary debate, closing with 20,978 verified signatures.
Clare’s Law, a domestic violence disclosure scheme, enables individuals to access information about a partner’s history of violence.
The model has been praised globally for saving lives and empowering people to make informed relationship decisions.
Tillett turned to Cooper following her own harrowing experience with violence and her concern over recent data revealing the Central Coast currently has the second-highest number of domestic violence Apprehended Violence Orders (AVOs) in NSW.
The region experienced almost double the per-capita domestic violence-related incidents compared to metropolitan areas, with inner-regional areas like the Central Coast reporting 582 DV-related assaults per 100,000 people versus 342 in major cities.
“Since moving to the Coast, I have helped female friends get out of domestic violence situations, and it’s a daily occurrence on social media community groups of women asking for help,” Tillett said.
“These numbers represent lives at risk in our community right now.
“Clare’s Law would give both men and women on the Central Coast a critical tool to seek information, make safer choices, and hopefully prevent more tragedies.
“That’s why this petition matters so deeply here, and why local support can help save lives.”
South Australia’s version of the law, introduced in 2022, is now considered “best in class” for its balance of safety, privacy, and prevention.
“NSW doesn’t have to adopt the South Australian model like-for-like,” Cooper said.
“We have the opportunity to improve upon this and develop a version that’s fit for our state and community needs.
“This is an opportunity to fix some issues that continue to fall through the cracks and become leaders in the prevention of domestic violence.”
Cooper is now engaging in early discussions with a broad range of stakeholders, including legal experts, domestic violence services, law enforcement, and policy advisors, to help shape what a tailored NSW model could look like.
With the petition moving into the next phase, these conversations will be critical to ensuring any proposal reflects both survivor experience and legal integrity.
In addition, an application for a nationwide Clare’s Law petition has been submitted in the hope of sparking broader reform across Australia.
“We’ve just witnessed something extraordinary from the people of NSW,”
Jo Cooper
“Thousands of everyday citizens, many of them finding this campaign through TikTok, stepped up, shared our message, and stood united in their demand for a safer future.
“This shows the incredible power of community when digital activism meets real-world purpose.”
The Clare’s Law petition gained momentum in recent weeks through a community-led campaign under the banner The Good Warrior, with supporters across NSW, including the Central Coast, local businesses, survivors, families, and advocates, sharing stories, creating videos, and mobilising digital networks to gather signatures.
Cooper is now calling on the Minister for Women and Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Jodie Harrison to take a leadership role in championing this reform.
“This is a moment for action,” Cooper said.
“We have an opportunity to build something meaningful, something that could prevent future tragedies.
“I would welcome the chance to work directly with Minister Harrison to ensure any model developed is practical, trauma-informed, and survivor-led.”
