- Canberra backs child access
- By Jason Koutsoukis, Political Correspondent - Canberra
- The Age
- 22/07/2004 Make a Comment
- Contributed by: admin ( 100 articles in 2004 )
A Federal cabinet has moved a step closer to embracing a "one-stop shop" solution to child access disputes between separating parents.
An alternative proposal to establish a families tribunal appears dead, with cabinet deciding on Tuesday that the proposal was too expensive.
"A lot of money for not a lot of gain was the overwhelming feeling around the room," one government adviser told The Age.
Another adviser said: "The families tribunal proposal doesn't have any wind left in its sails. All attention now is on other low-cost alternatives which cut red tape and emphasise counselling and mediation."
Last December a bipartisan parliamentary committee recommended the establishment of a national, statute-based families tribunal with the power to decide disputes over shared parenting.
The committee said the tribunal would have the power to bar legal counsel and other experts and emphasise conciliation and mediation.
The proposal has the backing of a small but vocal group of Government backbenchers, who have lobbied strongly on the issue for the past seven months.
But with an estimated cost of about $600 million to establish the tribunal, and concerns that it would function as another judicial body alongside the Family Court and the Federal Magistracy, the proposal has won little support from senior Government ministers.
Prime Minister John Howard, Attorney-General Philip Ruddock, Treasurer Peter Costello, Finance Minister Nick Minchin and Workplace Relations Minister Kevin Andrews are among those strongly opposed to the tribunal.
Cabinet, however, has resolved to further explore a proposal put forward by Sydney University law professor Patrick Parkinson to establish a national network of family relationship centres to help separating parents.
Modelled on the Government's Job Network offices, the centres would be the first stop for parents attempting to solve child access disputes.
It is believed the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Larry Anthony, is considering the proposal.
Staffed by professional counsellors and mediators, the centres would help parents develop a post-separation parenting plan, give initial advice on Centrelink payments and child support and provide referrals to other agencies.
According to the National Party's Kay Hull, who chaired the parliamentary inquiry into child custody arrangements, the families tribunal proposal has attracted too much importance in the media.
"What we think is that there is a better way of settling these disputes than the current system, which for many families has too many lawyers involved, is too costly, and in many cases produces an unfair outcome," Mrs Hull said.
"But the families tribunal is not the only way to solve that problem and I will be very happy to see other alternatives, so let's just and wait and see what happens."
An alternative proposal to establish a families tribunal appears dead, with cabinet deciding on Tuesday that the proposal was too expensive.
"A lot of money for not a lot of gain was the overwhelming feeling around the room," one government adviser told The Age.
Another adviser said: "The families tribunal proposal doesn't have any wind left in its sails. All attention now is on other low-cost alternatives which cut red tape and emphasise counselling and mediation."
Last December a bipartisan parliamentary committee recommended the establishment of a national, statute-based families tribunal with the power to decide disputes over shared parenting.
The committee said the tribunal would have the power to bar legal counsel and other experts and emphasise conciliation and mediation.
The proposal has the backing of a small but vocal group of Government backbenchers, who have lobbied strongly on the issue for the past seven months.
But with an estimated cost of about $600 million to establish the tribunal, and concerns that it would function as another judicial body alongside the Family Court and the Federal Magistracy, the proposal has won little support from senior Government ministers.
Prime Minister John Howard, Attorney-General Philip Ruddock, Treasurer Peter Costello, Finance Minister Nick Minchin and Workplace Relations Minister Kevin Andrews are among those strongly opposed to the tribunal.
Cabinet, however, has resolved to further explore a proposal put forward by Sydney University law professor Patrick Parkinson to establish a national network of family relationship centres to help separating parents.
Modelled on the Government's Job Network offices, the centres would be the first stop for parents attempting to solve child access disputes.
It is believed the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Larry Anthony, is considering the proposal.
Staffed by professional counsellors and mediators, the centres would help parents develop a post-separation parenting plan, give initial advice on Centrelink payments and child support and provide referrals to other agencies.
According to the National Party's Kay Hull, who chaired the parliamentary inquiry into child custody arrangements, the families tribunal proposal has attracted too much importance in the media.
"What we think is that there is a better way of settling these disputes than the current system, which for many families has too many lawyers involved, is too costly, and in many cases produces an unfair outcome," Mrs Hull said.
"But the families tribunal is not the only way to solve that problem and I will be very happy to see other alternatives, so let's just and wait and see what happens."
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