The Australian Law Reform Commission report on the review of the family law system was released in April. The 60 recommendations for family law reform mainly focus on administrative changes that improve the efficiencies of the family court system.
Recommendations include ‘closing the jurisdictional gap between the family court and state-based court systems, amending the factors that must be taken into account when determining parenting arrangements in the best interests of children, and mandating accreditation for private family report writers and Children’s Contact Services’.
Peak body DV Vic is concerned that the recommendations have not gone far enough to tackle the structural issues that relate to family violence.
Women’s Legal Service Victoria will be developing a written analysis of the report and recommendations in the coming weeks.
(DV Vic e-Bulletin, 10/5/19)