Stop the Inhumane Treatment of Fathers and Children in the Australian Family Law Court

To the Honourable President and members of the Senate in Parliament assembled, the petition of the undersigned shows: people who have experienced, or had someone close to them experience, harm and loss as a result of family law and domestic violence law in Australia. Your petitioners ask that the Senate: For change to the systems of family law and domestic violence law that promote the following principles.

1. Parent-Children Involvement: As far as possible enforce equal involvement of both parents in a child’s life.

2. Reduce Government and Court Interference with Families: Encourage a less adversarial system which focuses on the safety and welfare of the children involved.

3. Probity of Evidence: Ensure that rules of evidence apply, and proper records are maintained and available to parties to ensure fairness, accountability, and transparency of the process.

4. Protection Orders/Domestic Violence Orders: Disincentivize false, frivolous, and unsubstantiated allegations by a party to a family law hearing by raising the required standard of proof to support the allegation/s and imposing penalties should the allegation/s prove false or unsubstantiated such as loss of child custody as well as costs. The gender bias and discrimination as evidenced in such allegations be removed from the system.

5. Financial Incentives: Adequately penalize false and misleading statements and remove financial incentives for parents to take measures to exclude the other parent from the children’s lives.