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Luke Batty was killed by his father. So why does Rosie Batty have to defend her parenting decisions? Luke Batty was killed by his father. So why does Rosie Batty have to defend her parenting decisions?
(35 minutes later)
It’s been barely eight months since Rosie Batty’s 11 year old son, Luke, was brutally murdered with a cricket bat and a knife by Greg Anderson – his father, and her ex-husband. For the past three days, as part of the inquest into Luke’s death, she relived that Wednesday evening in February and the years leading up to it in painful detail so that others may be spared her anguish in the future. It’s been barely eight months since Rosie Batty’s 11-year-old son, Luke, was brutally murdered with a cricket bat and a knife by Greg Anderson – his father, and her ex-husband. For the past three days, as part of the inquest into Luke’s death, she relived that Wednesday evening in February and the years leading up to it in painful detail so that others might be spared her anguish in the future.
“I’m sitting here still trying to make it better for him and I’ll never get him back – do any of you understand that?” she told Melbourne Coroner’s court, thumping her hand on the witness table. “All I can do is make sure that some people out of all of this learn.” “I’m sitting here still trying to make it better for him and I’ll never get him back – do any of you understand that?” she told the Melbourne coroner’s court, thumping her hand on the witness table. “All I can do is make sure that some people out of all of this learn.”
We do owe it to Batty to learn. So far, the focus has been solely on Batty, what she did and why in the months before her only child’s death. It’s impossible to comprehend just how exhausting the questioning must be.We do owe it to Batty to learn. So far, the focus has been solely on Batty, what she did and why in the months before her only child’s death. It’s impossible to comprehend just how exhausting the questioning must be.
These are just some of the gaps that have been revealed in the inquest so far: vital information about Anderson’s mental health and criminal charges weren’t always conveyed to Batty by police and child protection, and warrants for his arrest weren’t executed for days after they were issued. Batty could only make decisions for her and Luke based on what she knew, but she was often in the dark.These are just some of the gaps that have been revealed in the inquest so far: vital information about Anderson’s mental health and criminal charges weren’t always conveyed to Batty by police and child protection, and warrants for his arrest weren’t executed for days after they were issued. Batty could only make decisions for her and Luke based on what she knew, but she was often in the dark.
It is unlikely that any other inquest witness – the police officers, magistrates, or child protection workers that were involved with the family over the past decade – will face questioning as gruelling as Batty did. She gave evidence for two and a half days. It is unlikely that any other inquest witness – the police officers, magistrates or child protection workers who were involved with the family over the past decade – will face questioning as gruelling as Batty did. She gave evidence for two and a half days.
The next witnesses must be upfront with coroner Ian Gray about where those gaps were most acute. When Luke was killed on a cricket field, there were four warrants out for Anderson’s arrest. He was facing 11 criminal charges, and there were two intervention orders out against him. The next witnesses must be upfront with coroner Ian Gray about where those gaps were most acute. When Luke was killed on a cricket field, there were four warrants out for Anderson’s arrest. He was facing 11 criminal charges and there were two intervention orders out against him.
A coronial inquest is supposed to be non-adversarial. It is about understanding how and why a death occurred and what might have been done to prevent it so that other deaths may be prevented in future. System and organisational accountability is the focus, rather than individuals or finding someone to blame. A coronial inquest is supposed to be non-adversarial. It is about understanding how and why a death occurred and what might have been done to prevent it so that other deaths might be prevented in future. System and organisational accountability is the focus, rather than individuals or finding someone to blame.
It was clear Batty didn’t feel that way this week as she was asked personal questions about her own behaviour. Facing repeated questioning about the actions she took to manage the relationship between Luke and his father, and asked to try and recall details from dozens of court visits and multiple interactions with child protection officers and police, she broke down. It was clear Batty didn’t feel that way this week as she was asked personal questions about her own behaviour. Facing repeated questioning about the actions she took to manage the relationship between Luke and his father, and asked to recall details from dozens of court visits and numerous interactions with child protection officers and police, she broke down.
“Why am I having to defend the decisions I made about our son?” she told the inquest. “Isn’t it unfair that I’m the one having to answer for all this? Did I ever think Luke would get smacked over the head with a cricket bat and stabbed to death? Of course I didn’t.”“Why am I having to defend the decisions I made about our son?” she told the inquest. “Isn’t it unfair that I’m the one having to answer for all this? Did I ever think Luke would get smacked over the head with a cricket bat and stabbed to death? Of course I didn’t.”
Her evidence was sometimes angry, raw and uncomfortable. The thread was a plea to understand what had gone wrong, not to point fingers or to apportion blame, but to finally fix what those who work in the area of domestic violence say are long-standing, systemic failures that drip away until something unthinkable exposes them.Her evidence was sometimes angry, raw and uncomfortable. The thread was a plea to understand what had gone wrong, not to point fingers or to apportion blame, but to finally fix what those who work in the area of domestic violence say are long-standing, systemic failures that drip away until something unthinkable exposes them.
It is unfair for Batty to have to defend every one of her decisions. Just like it’s unfair that the point victims of family violence begin to take back control and walk away from their abuser is also the most dangerous time for them. In the lead-up to Luke’s death, Batty had been gradually decreasing the amount of contact they had with Anderson as his threats escalated and his paranoia seemed to worsen. It is unfair for Batty to have to defend every one of her decisions. Just as it’s unfair that the time when victims of family violence begin to take back control and walk away from their abuser is also the most dangerous time for them. In the lead-up to Luke’s death, Batty had been gradually decreasing the amount of contact they had with Anderson as his threats escalated and his paranoia seemed to worsen.
“When you make a stand, and when you realise you are alone, and you don’t know what you’re facing, there is an underlying fear and terror because you’re finally taking a stand and you don’t know what will happen next,” Batty told the inquest.“When you make a stand, and when you realise you are alone, and you don’t know what you’re facing, there is an underlying fear and terror because you’re finally taking a stand and you don’t know what will happen next,” Batty told the inquest.
It was at this point Batty needed help from police and the courts the most. She needed authorities to stand up to a dangerous man, a support she did not get. Somehow, the inquest needs to help her understand why that was. This is not a time for protection of process, but a thorough and confronting dissection of it.It was at this point Batty needed help from police and the courts the most. She needed authorities to stand up to a dangerous man, a support she did not get. Somehow, the inquest needs to help her understand why that was. This is not a time for protection of process, but a thorough and confronting dissection of it.
It won’t bring Luke back. But it would be a slight relief for Batty, and result in greater protections for the thousands of victims of family violence yet to walk in her shoes.It won’t bring Luke back. But it would be a slight relief for Batty, and result in greater protections for the thousands of victims of family violence yet to walk in her shoes.