Publications

The services outlined in the fact sheet are designed to help resolve family law matters quickly and safely, while looking after your wellbeing. Some of the services are also available to family members and friends of couples experiencing relationship issues.

Australian Law Reform Commission, Review of the Family Law System; Family Law for the Future – An Inquiry into the Family Law System.

Australian Government response to the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs report: Surrogacy Matters

This is a report about the experiences and needs of young people whose parents have separated. We are sharing what we learnt with judges, lawyers, counsellors and other people interested in improving the family law system.

Submissions received by the department in response to the Family Law Amendment (Family Violence and Cross-examination of Parties) Bill 2017 consultation. Submissions that were provided in confidence will not be made public.

Summary report commissioned by Interrelate and co-funded by the Australian Government Attorney-General’s Department

This report presents the findings of programs supporting separated families with dependent children, who have parenting orders in place, whether by consent or court-ordered, but are deemed likely to return to court in relation to disputation of those parenting arrangements.

Draft Family Law Amendment (Family Violence and Cross-examination of Parties) Bill 2017.  Proposed amendments of the Family Law Act 1975.

The consultation paper invited public comment on an exposure draft of proposed legislative amendments to the Family Law Act 1975 to address direct cross-examination of parties in family law proceedings involving family violence.

Currently, families experiencing violence and conflict are often required to engage with multiple courts to address their legal needs. These proposed changes are intended to reduce the need for some families to navigate both the state/territory and federal court systems.

On 9 December 2016, the Attorney-General released an exposure draft and paper on the Family Law Amendment (Family Violence and Other Measures) Bill for public consultation. The following submissions were received by the department in response to the consultation.

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

A full list of Family Law Council members, dating back to November 1976.

The Final Report to the Attorney-General, delivered on 30 June 2016, focused on terms three, four and five of the reference. The report concentrates on opportunities to enhance collaboration and information sharing within the family law system as well as other support services such as child protection, mental health, family violence, drug and alcohol, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and migrant services.

Australian Government response to the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs report: Roundtable on Surrogacy – December 2015.

The Interim Report to the Attorney-General focused on the first two terms of reference that address the prospect of having a streamlined, coherent and integrated approach to improve the overall safety of families and in particular children, while involved in the family law, child protection and family violence jurisdictions. The Interim Report was delivered to the Attorney-General on 30 June 2015.

This report provides advice to the Attorney-General on a range of issues in relation to who is considered to be a parent under the Family Law Act 1975. The council considered the changes in family structures and the differing ways families are now being formed, the role and meaning of 'parent', as well as the inconsistent, inappropriate and discriminatory outcomes for children on the basis of the status of the people who are raising them or the way in which the child's family was formed.

The council is an agency subject to the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act) and is required to comply with the requirements of the FOI Act relating to the Information Publication Scheme (IPS). The council has prepared its IPS Agency Plan in accordance with subsection 8(1) of the FOI Act.

A report commissioned by the Attorney-General's Department from the Australian Institute of Family Studies to examine the use of independent children's lawyers (ICLs) in the family law system.

The Attorney-General's Department commissioned Allen Consulting Group to undertake independent research as part of the review of Family Support Program family law services in January 2012.