http://www.aic.gov.au/publications/current%20series/bfab/21-40/bfab021.html
http://www.aic.gov.au/publications/current%20series/bfab/41-60/bfab046.html
http://www.aic.gov.au/crime_types/property%20crime/arson.html
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-07-03/arson-homicides-on-the-rise-in-australia-institute-criminology/6592448
Arson-homicides in Australia, although rare, have almost doubled in 20 years, a new report from Australian Institute of Criminology shows.
The study, Arson-associated homicide in Australia: A five year follow up, found 44 per cent more arson-associated murders took place in the 2000s when compared with the 1990s.
"This supports the previous Australian findings that indicated that offenders may now be using fire in homicides more frequently than previously," the report states.
Arson-associated events make up a small portion of homicides in Australia (2 per cent of all homicides each year), but according to the researchers "they are of particular interest given their propensity to become uncontrollable and claim more than one victim".
The largest proportion of arson homicide victims (23 per cent) were the current intimate partner of the offender, the report states.
But lead author and QUT forensic criminologist Dr Claire Ferguson told the ABC with so few cases - 123 between 1989 to 2010 - it was hard to talk about trends.
"In most of the cases the offender knew the victim, it wasn't necessarily domestic violence,"