Survivor advocacy drives reform of forensic care in Queensland

When survivor-advocate Evie Clayton spoke out about her experience of being unable to access a timely forensic medical examination in Queensland, she gave voice to a systemic failure.

In regional and remote areas in particular, survivors of sexual assault could wait days for an exam, if they were able to access one at all. The delay not only compounded trauma but also risked the loss of crucial evidence.

In 2024 Clayton partnered with Fair Agenda to campaign for reform. Survivors and advocates had long called for investment in forensic medical services, and new commitments had been announced. Clayton and Fair Agenda worked to ensure these promises translated into real improvements, particularly for regional communities.

In early 2025 Fair Agenda members wrote to their MPs calling for permanent forensic clinician positions and faster access to examinations. That same month Clayton and Fair Agenda met with senior decision-makers, including the AttorneyGeneral, Deputy Premier, Victims of Crime Commissioner, the office of Minister Amanda Camm, and three MPs from Townsville.

The campaign produced results. Every Hospital and Health Service in Queensland has since received funding to expand access to forensic examinations. Fifty specialist roles, including nurses and counsellors, are being recruited. More clinicians are being trained, and Queensland Health has committed to quarterly public updates on system capacity.

I’m extremely elated that the Queensland government has taken the concerns of myself, Fair Agenda, the Auditor-General and victim-survivors seriously and has acted accordingly. Today we see action, soon we will see change, and with that we will see lives saved,” Clayton said. “Without the collective on the front line, we never would have had the means to fight.”

Her advocacy, backed by Fair Agenda’s members, helped deliver structural reform. Survivors across Queensland will now be able to access trauma-informed forensic care closer to home, with the system held to public account for its performance.

Fair Agenda campaigns nationally to strengthen the systems that respond to sexual, domestic and family violence. Its advocacy has delivered stronger protections for survivors, new investments in frontline services, and reforms to ensure timely access to forensic care.