Families and Marriage Publications

Use this form if you are seeking access to a child in a country that is a member of the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction.

Use this form if you have received a Hague Convention child access application, and you do not want the person to have access to the child, or want to propose different access.

The council provided a letter of advice to the former Attorney-General in response to an Attorney-General’s Department discussion paper.

This letter of advice includes Council’s comments of fifteen recommendations made in an options paper prepared by the Attorney-General’s Department.

In response to terms of reference issued by the former Attorney-General, the council considered ways in which the family law system can better meet the needs of Indigenous clients.  As part of the consultation process, the council sought submissions from interested organisations and individuals about services and engagement programs for families of Indigenous communities.

In response to terms of reference issued by the former Attorney-General, the council considered ways in which the family law system can better meet the needs of culturally and linguistically diverse clients. As part of the consultation process, the council sought submissions from interested organisations and individuals about services and engagement programs for families of culturally and linguistically diverse communities.

The council supported the Senate Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs’ report recommending an education campaign.

On 5 August 2011 the council provided a further letter of advice in response to a request by the former Attorney-General and the former Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs. The letter of advice was on the issue of child support in cases of international parental child abduction.

An own motion letter of advice was provided to the former Attorney-General expressing concerns about the possible effect of a ruling regarding the application of section 10H and 10J of the Family Law Act 1975 to family dispute resolution intake assessments.

A letter of advice was provided on 14 March 2011 in relation to international parental child abduction in response to terms of reference issued by the former Attorney-General.

The council provided the former Attorney-General with a letter of advice on the former Australian Government’s policy initiative to enhance family dispute resolution.

Draft Family Law Amendment (Family Violence) Bill 2010.  Proposed amendments of the Family Law Act 1975 relating to family violence.

The council, by its own motion, provided a letter of advice to the former Attorney-General seeking consideration of broader information sharing and integration across the family law system to deal with family violence and child abuse.

In 2010, this report examined the impact of family violence, which had occurred before, during and or after parental relationship breakdown, on post-separation decision making and arrangements as viewed by children and parents.

In 2009, the Family Courts Violence Review was commissioned to assess the appropriateness of the legislation, practices and procedures that apply in cases before the federal family courts where issues of family violence arise, and to recommend any improvements.

This is a report on the impact of family violence on children and on parenting, acknowledging the compounding issues of mental health problems and alcohol and substance abuse, as well as indigenous and cultural considerations.

The former Attorney-General was provided advice on amendments to the Family Law Act 1975 regarding mental health issues in the family law system.

The council provided the former Attorney-General with advice on the possible consequences of the Full Court’s decision in Black & Black on the validity of existing binding financial agreements.

A letter of advice was provided to the former Attorney-General concerning kinship carers of indigenous children and support for adherence to the Indigenous Child Placement Principle.

The council considered arbitration of family law property and financial matters, focusing on compulsory arbitration but also considering ways of promoting voluntary arbitration in the family law sector.