The Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC) has released a report on homicide in the nation, and while the findings are bleak, the news isn't all bad for Tasmania.
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Data from the National Homicide Monitoring Program was contrasted between 2021-22 and 2022-23, with cases rising by six per cent.
Australia recorded 232 instances of homicide in the past year, up from 218 in 2021-22 and 217 in 2020-21.
Tasmania was one of few states or territories to see a decrease in deaths alongside New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory.
Homicides on the island state have historically been about average in number by national standards, with notable exceptions in 2004-05 and 2016-17, which recorded 10 and 12 cases respectively.
Tasmania has since been on a statistical downturn, logging just five deaths in the past year.
The offenders in all of these instances were charged with murder.
But nationwide, the news isn't so positive. Murders of intimate partners rose from 35 to 38 between the past two reports, with a disproportionate amount of that violence being directed towards women.
The data highlights that 89 per cent of intimate partner homicide (IPH) incidents were perpetrated against a female victim.
AIC deputy director Dr Rick Brown said this represented 16 per cent of all killings.
"The findings of the report confirm through state and territory police offence records and coronial records that female IPH increased by 28 per cent from 0.25 homicides per 100,000 in 2021-22 to 0.32 per 100,000 in 2022-23," he said.
"The figures in this latest report provide an important baseline to measure progress towards achieving the national targets outlined in the National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children."
Dr Brown added that this initiative set out to reduce female IPH by 25 per cent per year over the next five years.
In the meantime, the AIC is developing a statistical dashboard to release data on a quarterly basis.
The institute is aiming for a mid-year deadline to "continue to provide more timely reporting on intimate partner homicide".
The National Homicide Monitoring Program is currently Australia's only country-wide data collection on homicide incidents, victims and offenders.
The 2022-23 research period identified 247 victims and 260 offenders.
Aaron Smith
Regional council reporter and videographer at The Examiner. Contact me at aaron.smith@austcommunitymedia.com.au for enquiries or send me a message on social media.
Regional council reporter and videographer at The Examiner. Contact me at aaron.smith@austcommunitymedia.com.au for enquiries or send me a message on social media.
