Dr Sleep joins CQU’s Queensland Centre for Domestic and Family Violence Research

By Greg Chapman

CQUniversity’s Queensland Centre for Domestic and Family Violence Research (QCDFVR) has unveiled a new research expert in its arsenal with Dr Lyndal Sleep taking on the role of Senior Lecturer – Domestic & Family Violence.

With a background that includes a role as a lead researcher in the Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety project Domestic Violence, Social Security and the Couple Rule, as well as a Researcher at the Australian Research Centre’s Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making & Society (ADM+S) investigating the use of automated technologies like AI in social services delivery, Dr Sleep brings many years of experience to the QCDFVR.

“I began my current role at CQU late last year and I am very excited to work in the QCDFVR, as it works so well with the Queensland community to improve the safety of women and children,” she said.

“I’m also keen to support CQU’s work across Central Queensland as it is so important for ensuring all Queenslanders have a voice and access to quality education, training and research engagement opportunities.

“My role is as a research-focused lecturer, based in the QCDFVR, which means most of my time is taken up in researching, or supporting others' research, including supervising higher degree by research students. As the domestic and family violence sector becomes increasingly digitised, I am excited to bring my experience researching both domestic and family violence and digital services delivery to the Centre.

Dr Sleep’s research background is significant with one most recent study, authorised and funded by the New South Wales Ombudsman and in collaboration with leading researchers from the University of Queensland and Sydney University, looking at identifying and publishing the ways in which the NSW public sector is using, or planning to use, automated decision-making systems (ADM systems) in the performance of their functions. 

“Technologies like AI are increasingly being used by governments. Sometimes this is highly publicised, like when identifying violent criminals in policing, but it is also used in day-to-day activities like issuing parking fines and generating emails,” Dr Sleep said.

“Sometimes, ADM systems can assist government officials to make decisions that affect us, and other times take the place of the government official in making the decision. 

“Often, ordinary citizens are not aware of when an AI is being used by a government official in a decision that affects them. This is a problem, because transparency about how government officials make decisions is essential for our democracy to work properly. The way the technologies are used can also cause disproportional harm to citizens experiencing vulnerabilities like domestic and family violence - this happened with the ‘Robo debt’ scandal.

“This research began mapping what AI and similar technologies are being used in NSW governments, (state and local), so that citizens can know how government officials are making decisions that affect them into the future. We found many instances of the use of AI and similar technologies in governments and found significant challenges locating them.”

Read Dr Sleep’s ADM report