Original story:
Law ignores the reality of split families

THERE is a fundamental flaw in Renata Alexander's critique of the Government's proposed family law reforms (Opinion, 16/12). The new laws are not about "forcing joint parenting" or "imposing joint custody".

It is about requiring the court to consider whether children spending equal time is practical and in their best interests. When it is not, arrangements which allow both parents to spend "substantial and significant time" must be considered. This means more than occasional weekends and holidays, and include routine activities such as picking up kids from school, helping with homework or tucking them into bed.

Dr Alexander is also wrong about violence. The Government could not be more unequivocal about the need to protect children from violence or abuse. This will be a primary factor in any court ruling.

Under the new legislation, family violence is defined not just as actual violence but as a reasonable fear or apprehension of violence. People will not have to participate in family dispute resolution before going to court if there is a risk of violence; nor will the presumption of joint parental responsibility apply in these cases.

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1
By:Bewitched from Vic, Australia on July 21, 2011 @ 11:09 am
All this reassurance sounds fine to those who are fearful and ignorant, however there should rarely ever be a need for a court to step in and 'pretend' to protect a child, if on the whole, there were better systems to help parents resolve their issues amicably. I verily believe such systems still do not exist today! Hence the only question to be asked is why not?
1
By:paul s from canberra, australia on July 19, 2011 @ 8:08 pm
The court's will protect children? You've got to be kidding me.
Protect them against what, their loving fathers. I think the family court's a bit full of their own self importance. They're all just a bunch of highly paid medling nobodys wanting to be somebodys as far as I'm concerned.

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