Men’s Rights Agency submission to Family Law Inquiry 2020

Joint Select Committee on Australia’s Family Law System 2020

Men’s Rights Agency
A non-profit Australia-wide organisation providing assistance for
26 years for men/fathers, and their children when they are
faced with family separation, child support problems, property
settlement, domestic violence, shared parenting, discrimination
or any other concern
Mob: 0409 269 621
Ph:07 3805 5611
Email: admin@mensrights.com.au
Web: www.mensrights.com.au
31 January 2020

 Pie-in-the-Sky or just more wishful thinking

……. based on unfulfilled expectations and false promises

Just how many times are we expected to put forward our complaints, pleas and suggestions to resolve the current system of “family law”? On most previous occasions it appears that our contribution to the discussions and other parent’s submissions have made little difference. I fear this is another of those times.
 
I note Professor Patrick Parkinson makes similar comment in his Submission No 93. He writes:
 

• Do not reinvent the wheel. A vast number of reports have been written about the family law system over the last 20 years. Most of the recommendations in those reports have not been given really serious and thorough consideration by government. These reports have often recommended the same things or variations on the same things. There is no reason to believe that the report of this Committee will suffer any different fate from the previous ones unless it offers a thorough review of the many wise recommendations that have been previously made, and thereafter not implemented.

 
The Government has already consulted with the ALRC, and the Attorney General, Christian Porter has already signalled an attempt to change the structure of the Family Court and Federal Circuit Court. The inquiry was seen as a voice for the legal profession, with the general public having little say. For the ALRC to recommend removing Section 65DAA of the Family Law Act is unthinkable. This section was introduced as a result of the Howard Government’s 2006 shared parenting changes and required judges, in certain cases, to consider whether children should spend equal time, or substantial and significant time with each parent.
Almost as an after-thought and under pressure from One Nation, whose vote is required in the Senate, the Government has cautioned itself to make a show of directly listening to the people affected most by the system, before implementing any changes, pre-determined or not. Hence this current inquiry. To not appear to listen to the people or to remove S65DAA would cause irreparable damage to their re-electability. Let’s hope this time, our words will resonate with those truly looking to improve the system of family separation in this country.
Read on,  click below…..
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