Police Protection Directions in Queensland: What Changed on 1 January 2026

Part 1 of our 3-part series explaining Queensland’s new Police Protection Direction laws.

From 1 January 2026, Queensland Police have a new tool in the domestic and family violence space: Police Protection Directions (PPDs).

Sometimes described as “on-the-spot protection” measures, a PPD is a police-issued direction that can impose protective conditions for up to 12 months – critically, without the matter automatically going before a Magistrate.

That is a major shift. We’ve expressed our concerns about some aspects of it in our comments here.

With such a new tool, it’s going to be confusing and confronting if you are served with one (whether you are the aggrieved seeking safety, the respondent subject to conditions, or a named person such as a family member or child).

In this article we’ll explain the big picture:

what a PPD is;
the reasons given for why it was introduced; and
the key practical points you need to know.

In Part 2 we will go into more detail on how police issue a PPD and what conditions can apply.

In Part 3 we will cover the available review and challenge options.

What is a Police Protection Direction?

A Police Protection Direction (PPD) is a direction issued by police in response to alleged acts of domestic violence.

The legislation describes the purpose as providing a way for police to respond to domestic violence in circumstances when it would be appropriate not to bring the matter before a court.

Typically a PPD is going to involve three categories of people:

The aggrieved – the person police believe is in most need of protection.
The respondent – the person police allege has committed domestic violence and who must comply with the conditions.
Named persons – additional people who may also require protection in the opinion of the issuing officer (for example, children or family members).

Practically, a PPD can impose conditions like what many people associate with a court-made Domestic Violence Order (DVO) – for example, “no contact” and “stay away” style restrictions – depending on the circumstances.

Why were PPDs introduced?

Queensland’s PPD laws are part of a broader package of DFV reforms.

The stated policy aim is to allow police to provide immediate protection in appropriate cases, and to reduce the need for complainants (and witnesses) to attend court where the police believes the matter can be dealt with safely by police-issued conditions.

In other words, PPDs are intended to sit between:

doing nothing; and
immediately commencing a court process.

This “middle pathway” is new in Queensland. Naturally its introduction comes with significant concerns about due process, the impact on assumptions of innocence, and the immediate dramatic negative impact that being issued a PPD can have on those involved.

Because a PPD can last for 12 months and can dramatically affect day-to-day life, it is important to understand how they work and what your options are if you disagree.

PPD vs Police Protection Notice vs Domestic Violence Order

Before the PPD was introduced in January 2026, Queensland already had options for police and courts to respond to alleged domestic or family violence.

The PPD does not replace those options – it adds another one.

Domestic Violence Order (DVO)

A DVO is made by a court. It can include both “standard conditions” and a range of additional conditions.

It typically involves a court process where evidence can be tested, and parties have the opportunity to be heard.

Police Protection Notice (PPN)

A Police Protection Notice is issued by police, but it is generally designed to progress the matter to court quickly (it is treated as an application for a protection order).

It is used as an interim measure where a court should decide what happens next.

Police Protection Direction (PPD)

The PPD is designed for circumstances where police “reasonably believe” domestic or family violence has occurred and protection is necessary and desirable, but police consider it would be appropriate not to bring the matter to court at that point in time.

The PPD is still enforceable, and breaching the conditions of a PPD is a criminal offence.

If you’re unsure what you’ve been given, the title on the document will answer the question – PPD, PPN, DVO, Temporary Protection Order. The obligations and next steps can be very different so it’s important to understand which situation you’re in.

When can police issue a PPD?

At a high level, police may issue a PPD when responding to a domestic violence complaint, report or incident, and they reasonably believe:

the respondent has committed domestic violence;
a PPD is necessary or desirable to protect the aggrieved from domestic violence;
certain exclusion circumstances do not apply; and
it would not be more appropriate to take action that involves applying to a court for a protection order.

Two points are worth highlighting:

“Reasonably believes” is not a court finding. A PPD can be issued without a Magistrate assessing the situation or making any determination about the allegations.
The aggrieved’s views matter. Police must consider any views or wishes expressed by the aggrieved about whether the matter should go to court.

Police must also (where the respondent isn’t physically present) make a reasonable attempt to locate and speak with the respondent, including by phone, to afford natural justice before issuing a PPD.

What conditions can be on a PPD?

Every PPD includes standard conditions. These require the respondent to:

be of good behaviour towards the aggrieved (and named persons),
not commit domestic violence (or associated domestic violence), and
not encourage or use other people to commit domestic violence on their behalf.

Depending on the case, police can also include additional protective conditions. These can include conditions such as:

No-contact conditions (for example, prohibiting contacting or approaching the aggrieved),
Ouster conditions (for example, excluding a respondent from a home or other places),
Return conditions (usually linked to ouster – allowing a supervised return to collect belongings),
Some form of electronic monitoring, and
Cool-down conditions (temporary restrictions for a defined period).

Importantly, where a PPD names a child in certain ways, police may be limited to standard conditions only.

That is one reason some matters must proceed to court instead of being dealt with by a PPD.

In Part 2 of this series, we’ll go into more detail about the “exclusions”, child-related restrictions, and the approval levels required for certain conditions.

When does a PPD start, and how long does it last?

A PPD takes effect when it is served on the respondent, or when a police officer tells the respondent about the existence of the direction and its conditions. This means it becomes enforceable very quickly after being issued.

Once it takes effect, a PPD can remain in force for up to 12 months. It may end earlier if it is replaced or overtaken by other legal steps (for example, if a court order becomes enforceable, a Police Protection Notice takes effect, particular release conditions are imposed, or the respondent successfully applies to have the PPD revoked).

Is breaching a PPD a criminal offence?

Yes. Contravening a PPD is a criminal offence.

That means:

If you are a respondent, you should treat the conditions as legally binding from the moment the PPD takes effect, even if you believe it is unfair, based on incorrect information, or you intend to challenge it.
If you are an aggrieved or named person, breach of a PPD should be reported to police.

The maximum penalty can include imprisonment and/or a fine measured in penalty units. (The dollar value of a penalty unit changes over time.)

Flow-on consequences

Similar to DVOs (about which we’ve written in more detail here) PPDs can have immediate, real-world impacts beyond simply “don’t contact the other person”.

Depending on the conditions, a respondent may need to:

leave the family home (sometimes with only limited supervised access to collect essential items),
avoid a workplace, school, or other places the aggrieved or named persons attend,
change parenting arrangements in practice (even if temporarily), and
deal with licence issues – for example, certain weapons licence consequences can be triggered and are dealt with under separate legislation, Blue Card requirements might be impacted.

This is why early, practical legal advice can be crucial. The “what do I do tonight?” questions often matter just as much as the longer-term court strategy. We have no reason to believe that the real world impact of a PPD is going to be any less than that of a DVO from the perspective of a respondent.

What should you do if you’re served with a PPD?

If you are the respondent

Read every condition carefully and assume it is enforceable immediately.
Do not contact the aggrieved “to sort it out” if a no-contact condition applies (even if they contact you first).
Make a plan for accommodation if an ouster or cool-down condition affects where you can stay.
Save the document and keep a copy accessible (digital and hard copy if possible).
Get legal advice early, particularly if the conditions affect children, housing, your employment, or you dispute the allegations.

If you are the aggrieved or a named person

Keep a copy of the PPD and note the start date/time.
Report breaches promptly (call 000 in an emergency).
Document incidents (dates, times, screenshots, call logs).
Seek support through specialist DFV services if needed.

Can a PPD be challenged or changed?

Yes. The legislation provides two pathways to review a PPD:

Police review (time limits apply), and
Court review in the Magistrates Court (can be sought at any point while the PPD is in force).

Importantly, seeking review does not automatically stop the PPD operating. Unless and until it is revoked, ended, or set aside, it remains enforceable.

Part 3 of our series will talk about police review vs court review, time limits, forms, what evidence matters, and what outcomes a reviewer or the court can deliver.

Key takeaways

A PPD is a 12-month police-issued direction designed to protect an aggrieved person (and any named persons) from DFV.
Police can only issue a PPD where they consider it would not be more appropriate to take the matter to court immediately.
Standard protective conditions apply (including “good behaviour” and “do not commit domestic violence”). Police may add other conditions in some cases.
Breaching a PPD is a criminal offence.
There are two review pathways (police review and court review). A review being underway does not “pause” the PPD – it remains enforceable unless and until changed or ended.

Need advice about a Police Protection Direction?

PPDs are new. This means that there can be a lot of confusion about what they mean, how quickly they take effect, and what you can (and cannot) do while one is in place.

If you have been served with a PPD, our team can help you understand:

what the conditions mean in practical terms,
how to avoid accidental breaches,
whether police review and/or court review is appropriate, and
how a PPD may interact with parenting arrangements, housing issues, and any related criminal allegations.

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