Men's Rights Agency ~ Government Inquiries
Family Law Council Inquiry into Enforcement & Penalties
This is the inquiry you've all been waiting for and focusses on what should be done about parties who ignore Court Orders and what penalties should be applied.
For all you who have been denied access , once or many times, when orders are in place and despite taking the offender back to court for enforcement - nothing has happened and the access is still denied - this is your opportunity to have your say.
Get busy writing your story, and include the "personal affect" - resulting from the other parties refusal to comply - on youself , your extended family and your children - don't forget the financial burden as well.
Send to the Family Law Council, Level 3, Lionel Murphy Building, 50, Blackall Street, Barton ACT 2600 or e-mail to Dr. Jo Herlihy on
If you need assistance to write up your story please contact MRA.
The FLC notification of this issue is as follows and includes not just access issues but any non-compliance with court orders.
Request for Information
concerning
FAMILY LAW: ENFORCEMENT AND PENALTIES
An evaluation of the enforcement of family law orders and injunctions
The Family Law Council is requesting anyone with an interest in the enforcement of Family Court orders and injunctions, or with information about how they are enforced and whether they are effective, to provide any relevant information to its Secretriat at the above address.
The Council is particularly interested in receiving details of any case histories relating to the issue.
Persons interested in contacting the Council about the project should note that, due to privacy legislation and the confidentiality provisions of the Family Law Act 1975, the information provided is protected and should not enable the parties to be identified.
Background
The Enforcement and Penalties Project resulted from a recommendation to Parliament in 1992 by the Joint Select Committe on Certain Aspects of the Operation and Interpretation of the Family Law Act. The Joint Select Committee, following a submission from the Police Commissioners' Advisory Group, recommended that 'the Family Law Council conduct a review of penalties applied by the Family court in cases of non-compliance with orders and injunctions which come before the Family Court' (Recommendation 59).
Data collection for the Project commenced in late 1995. From that time, the Council has been collecting general information fron the Family Court concerning enforcement matters. This has included type of matter, sex of the applicant, pleas by the respondent, the Court's decision and any penalty imposed.
Council is now seeking public input into the project. For further information please contact Dr Jo Herlihy on (02) 6250 6545
Closing Date: 15th October 1997