Australian Family Law Reforms Good Start - Dr Newman
ACT welfare spokesman, Dr Muriel Newman, is calling for a major family law overhaul to be taken up in New Zealand after
an Australian federal bi-partisan report recommending massive reforms to family law in Australia, was released this
week.
Dr Newman said she believed the Australian proposals, including a major emphasis on shared parenting, lawyer free
divorce and fairer child support systems and using the Family Court as a last resort, showed what progress could be made
when politicians focussed on strengthening families as the outcome.
"I am writing to Justice Select Committee Chair, Tim Barnett, to draw attention to the proposed Australian model as the
Committee moves into consideration of the Care of Children Bill.
"I believe many of these reforms can be incorporated into the Bill to strengthen the legislation and to reflect the
importance of the role of the family in society to the welfare of children," Dr Newman said.