AIFS inquiry into 2011Family law, family violence changes

 The Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS) is conducting a new survey to evaluate the impact of the Family Law Amendment (Family Violence and Other Measures) Act 2011 (Cth) – Non-legal professionals.

This AIFS survey is supposed to be for professionals. However we have filled in the survey by stating that we are parents. This is under the “Others” section. We believe that, as parents, we are just as qualified to answer the survey as any professional … and the Government needs to take on board our thoughts on the failure/success of this legislation.

The survey is due by 28 February 2014. However, AIFS may accept submissions after that date.

All questions do not have to be answered. The survey is anonymous.

The link is: 

https://surveys.aifs.gov.au/aifs/index.php?sid=58695&lang=en&newtest=Y

No one condones family violence. However, we have witnessed an abundance of false allegations as the legislation is used to give one party an advantage in pending family law action. False allegations and petty complaint have overloaded the system – resources are unnecessarily stretched to the limit.  Family violence needs to be proven before a person is removed from their home and prevented from seeing their children.

The changes introduced by the Family Violence and Other Measures Act enabled complaints to be accepted purely on the say so of one person’s claim to be in fear of the other party – no proof required! No penalties for false allegations!

These changes, quite intentionally in our opinion, interfered with and substantially removed the 2006 family law changes when shared parenting was introduced as the preferred option.

Thanks to John Flanagan from the

Non-Custodial Parents Party (Equal Parenting).

http://www.equalparenting.org.au/

for providing this Alert