Parents' 'bittersweet' honour after losing daughter and grandchildren to DV

Sue and Lloyd Clarke can't change the past, but they're doing everything in their power to change the future.

Five years ago, their daughter Hannah and her three children Aaliyah, Laianah and Trey were murdered by Hannah's estranged husband.

Ever since that tragic day, the grieving parents have been fighting to prevent other families from having to go through the pain they live with.

This afternoon they were recognised for that work, receiving a Medal of the Order of Australia for their service to domestic violence support.

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"It is bittersweet, we'd much rather have the family with us than any accolades," Sue told A Current Affair.

The pair were honoured for their work to make coercive control, which describes behaviour that scares, harms or isolates a person's freedom, a criminal offence in Australia.

"We always thought domestic and family violence was physical, and even Hannah would say to me, 'but he doesn't hit me, Mum'," Sue said.

"We didn't realise that what we thought was mind control games was coercive control."

Last year, NSW and Queensland both passed laws to criminalise coercive control.

Lloyd said they wanted to see it outlawed at a federal level.

"I'll call them out - come on guys, you know, let's get serious about this," Lloyd said.

"We're not gonna stop this until you guys stand up and do something about this."

National Sexual Assault, Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732).