WA Police’s refusal to categorise the Floreat murders as a family and domestic violence crime has become more confusing with yet another government minister saying it was clearly a FDV incident.
Speaking from Broome, Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence Minister Sabine Winton declined to comment on police categorisation of FDV crimes but said this tragic incident was one.
“Let’s be absolutely clear, this was an act of violence against women, I find it abhorrent. The man who perpetrated it was a gutless and [it was] an evil act and it was linked to family domestic violence,” she said.
“This was an act of violence against women, for no other reason than they were supporting a victim trying to flee a relationship.”
Earlier today Deputy Premier Rita Saffioti also agreed it was a domestic violence act but said the police classification didn’t change what happened.
“I think we all would agree it’s considered an act of domestic violence,” she said.
“There are some technicalities that police are working through, but I think from all of our perspectives, I think anyone who has watched this horrific act on Friday would link it to family and domestic violence.”
Authorities told the press the incident was not being treated as a family violence matter as there was no family relationship between the man and the two women, a position WA Police reaffirmed in responding to enquiries from this masthead on Sunday.
Saffioti and Winton’s comments mirror the opposition and Environment Minister Reece Whitby’s comments on Sunday describing the murders as an act of domestic violence.