Unfortunately in some cases, family violence offenders torment their victims by deliberately using their cars and accumulating fines against them, often aiming to instil fear and anxiety within victims upon the threat of legal action. The Victorian Parliament is proposing to introduce new laws that ...
Read moreFamily Violence
Amendments to the Family Law Act regarding Family Violence
On Monday 17 July 2017, Attorney-General George Brandis released draft amendments to the Family Law Act 1975 (Cth) in relation to family violence. The amendments seek to prevent alleged perpetrators of family violence from cross examining their alleged victims in Court. Alleged family violence perpe...
Read more2017 Budget and the Family Law System
On 9 May 2017, the Federal Government announced the 2017 budget. The Government announced $80 million in funding to family law and family violence services. The budget included provision for: $12.7 million to establish Parent Management Hearings; $10.7 million for additional family consultants; $3.4...
Read moreHow are Disputed and Untested Allegations of Family Violence treated in Interim Parenting Proceedings?
Allegations of family violence are unfortunately all too common in parenting proceedings. In circumstances where allegations of family violence are in dispute (as they often are) it can be difficult for the Court to make findings without being able to test these allegations at trial. However, when m...
Read moreRoyal Commission into Family Violence Report
On 29 March 2016, the Royal Commission into Family Violence (“the Commission”) delivered its report to Government. The Commission consulted with victims and perpetrators of family violence along with police officers, specialist family violence workers, lawyers, Magistrates, youth workers, doctor...
Read moreUnacceptable Risk to a Child
The issue of unacceptable risk to a child spending time with a parent was dealt with extensively in the case of Theophane & Hunt [2014] FamCA 1038. This case therefore provides a useful guide to the approach likely to be taken by the courts when such issues arise. The parties met in December 200...
Read moreInquiry into Domestic Violence and Gender Inequality
The Senate Finance and Public Administration References Committee (“SFPARC”) is investigating and preparing a report in regard to gender inequality and its contribution to the prevalence of family violence. The SFPARC is currently requesting input from relevant bodies for their investigation and...
Read moreCall for increased funding for the Family Court in the fight against family violence
A media release issued by the Family Court of Australia on 10 October 2015 highlights comments made by Chief Justice Diana Bryant at the Judicial Conference of Australia’s colloquium held in Adelaide on Saturday 10 October, 2015. The Chief Justice’s comments focus on a call for more funding to b...
Read more2012 Family Violence Reforms to the Family Law Act 1975
The Australian Institute of Family Studies has recently conducted an evaluation of the 2012 Family Law Act 1975 amendments that were designed to improve responses to family violence and child abuse. From 7 June 2012 changes were made to the Family Law Act 1975 as follows [see www.ag.gov.au/familyvio...
Read moreFamily Violence and the Family Pet
Family violence is arguably one of the most pervasive forms of violence faced by our community. The issue has recently gained popular attention as a result of campaigners such as Australian of the Year, Rosie Batty, who along with others, have campaigned for reforms to the community’s response t...
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“It is imperative that we do not create a narrative where domestic violence is seen as "mutual combat" or "relation… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
The Law Council has welcomed the announcement of additional Commonwealth funding for legal representation, so that victi…
We are delighted to hear that the Victorian Gender Equality Bill has passed Parliament. What a monumental step towa… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…