Improvements in family law proceedings

March 2021

© Commonwealth of Australia 2021
ISBN: 978-1-76093-183-4

View the report as a single document:

View the report as separate downloadable parts:

Members

Terms of Reference

List of Recommendations

Acronyms and abbreviations

Chair's foreword

Chapter 1—Introduction

  Scope of the second interim report
  Conduct of the inquiry
  Previous reports into the family law system
  Recent and current initiatives in the family law system
  Budget measures 2020–21
  Committee approach to the inquiry
  Acknowledgements

Chapter 2—Delays, costs and other systemic issues

  Performance of the court
  Delays
  Legal fees and costs
  Bias
  Family consultants and expert witnesses
  Committee view
  Adversarial vs inquisitorial systems

Chapter 3—Family violence

  State and territory family violence orders
  Family violence and the family law system
  Consistency between family law and family violence orders
  Information-sharing
  Training for family law professionals
  Legal Services
  Family Advocacy and Support Service

Chapter 4—Changes to the Family Law Act—parenting and property

  Complex legislative framework
  Parenting
  Property

Chapter 5—Family Law System - Alternative Dispute Resolution and Support Services

  Support services
  Alternative Dispute Resolution
  The cost of family breakdown and the role of prevention

Australian Labor Party Additional Comments

Australian Greens Additional and Dissenting Comments

  Merger of the Family Court and Federal Circuit Court

Appendix 1—Submissions, Additional Information, Answers to Questions on Notice and Tabled Document

Appendix 2—Hearings

Appendix 3—Summary of committee site visits related to the inquiry

Appendix 4—Proposed amendments to the Family Law Act 1975

Committee Secretariat contact:

Senior Clerk's Office
Department of the Senate
PO Box 6100
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600

Phone: +61 2 6277 3555
Fax: +61 2 6277 5809
seniorclerk.committees.sen@aph.gov.au

About this inquiry

The Joint Select Committee on Australia's Family Law System was appointed by resolution of the Senate on 18 September 2019 and resolution of the House of Representatives on 19 September 2019.



Past Public Hearings

19 May 2021: Canberra
23 Nov 2020: Canberra
16 Sep 2020: Canberra

more...