Brief History of Relationships Counselling and Mediation Services Inc., (trading as Relationships Australia Tasmania)

From 25 pounds to seven million dollars….

The Early Years of RA TAS

  • In 1949, interested parties planned for the formation of a Marriage Guidance Council in Tasmania.
  • First recorded meeting 23rd June 1949, attended by 60 people and included representatives from:

Church of England (Anglican Church)

National Council of Women

Status of Women Committee

Women’s Labour Organization

Catholic Church

Registrar-General

Presbyterian Church

and apologies from representatives of:

National Fitness Council

British Medical Association

Catholic Women’s League

Country Women’s Association

Salvation Army

Women’s Council of Church Work

  • At a meeting of the committee on 2nd August 1949 the constitution was considered – using the constitution of the Sydney MGC as a guide. Clause 9 caused difficulties for some members of the committee. This clause was: “That scientific contraception while serving a purpose in assisting married couples to regulate the spacing of their children, becomes a danger when misused to enable selfish and irresponsible people to escape the duties and disciplines of marriage and parenthood”. It was – at this time – agreed not to include this clause in the constitution.
  • In 1949 membership fee was set at 5 shillings. (Today its set at $10).
  • 24th August 1949 meeting: It was reported that Cabinet had agreed to a preliminary advance being paid, but had yet to determine which Department would be made responsible. (The need for MGC was well regarded by state government but not necessarily aligned with any of their departments or initiatives). A grant of 1000 pounds – to assist in establishment – was requested…a grant of 25 pounds was made available. (It was received about 6 months later).
  • By February 1950 the establishment of a marriage guidance centre in Launceston was approved, and branches also became established in the north west of Tasmania, most notably Penguin.
  • In 1952, the question of Tasmania contributing towards the national centre’s expenses on a per capita basis was raised. (An arrangement similar to current national resourcing.)
  • The issues of funding, staffing and buildings were on the agenda in these times, to the extent that in 1952 funding from the State Government was sought, with a grant of 100 pounds being given. Then, as now, this grant was soon seen as inadequate to meet the demands for quality services.
  • In 1953, the possibility of displaying pictorial posters in jewellers shops was raised.
  • In 1953, clause 4’s omission from the Tasmanian constitution was again discussed (regarding contraception) – continued omission meant that the Tasmanian council could not become a member of the national body.
  • During the 1950s consulting rooms were acquired; the headquarters of the Council was established in Hobart; grants increased first to 250 pounds and then 500 pounds.
  • Clients were seen across the state with 115 cases being dealt with between September 1958 and December 1959. Appointments were available on Wednesdays from 2.00 pm to 4.00 pm; on Thursdays from 7.00 pm to 9.00 pm and on Fridays from 2.00 pm to 4.00 pm.
  • At about this time the Women’s Weekly magazine, in close support of Marriage Guidance Councils, was promoting the notion of equality between husband and wife in marriage.
  • As well, in 1959 theMatrimonial Causes Act 1959 (Cth) introduced the first uniform divorce laws for Australia. This dealt only with situations where spouses were seeking what was known as "principal relief", for example a divorce or declaration of nullity of marriage.
  • State and territory laws continued to apply to cases where spouses were seeking "ancillary relief", that is, orders in relation to issues about children or property arising as a consequence of the breakdown of the marriage.Prior to the introduction of this Act, there had been varying state laws about divorce.
  • At about the same time as uniform divorce laws were passed, uniform laws about marriage were enacted by the Federal Parliament. The Marriage Act 1961 (Cth) contained provisions relating to marriageable age, marriage of minors, solemnization of marriage and foreign marriages.
  • One of the key people of this stage of the Council’s development was Edna Chamberlain, who went on to become a well regarded and respected social work educator in Queensland.

The 1960’s and 70’s

  • The 1960’s and 70’s were times of significant social change in Australia.
  • Australian involvement in the war in Vietnam, the gathering momentum of feminism, growing sexual freedom and experimentation resulting from availability of reliable contraception and the radicalization of students on university campuses and in some schools were all part of the social landscape.
  • Against this landscape, Marriage Guidance Tasmania continued to grow in its understanding of family relationships within Tasmania and, consequently, used a number of new approaches to its’ work. These included group counselling approaches, encounter groups and education groups. These approaches – some of which may seem quaint, strange or just wrong to us today – were seen as cutting edge and placed MGT in a role of being an agent for social change.

The 1980’s

  • For a time in the 1980’s, Tasmania was in the national and international spotlight largely owing to confrontations between developers and conservationists, most instantly recognized nowadays through the Franklin dam Campaign.
  • In the 1970’s the Family Law Act had been introduced; this aimed principally to reform the law governing the dissolution of a marriage and was a response to widespread public dissatisfaction with the existing law.
  • It replaced the Matrimonial Causes Act 1959 (Cth) and superseded State and Territory laws about "guardianship, custody, access and maintenance of children of a marriage".

The act introduced changes to the way divorce was dealt with including:

  • fourteen grounds for divorce were replaced with one "no fault" ground which was the irretrievable breakdown of the marriage demonstrated by a minimum period of 12 months during which the parties lived "separately and apart". Previously, evidence had to be given to the Court to show that one party had been guilty of misconduct such as adultery or cruelty, habitual alcoholism, desertion or insanity, or that there had been a five year separation. Fault, or "Guilt" was no longer to be a consideration in deciding with whom the children should reside or what maintenance might be paid.
  • The Family Court of Australia was created - one court established to administer the Act but with the option for each State to set up its own State court to administer the Act (Western Australia was the only State to do this)
  • the importance of counselling to assist couples who were in the process of separation and divorce was highlighted and this service was attached to the Court
  • welfare of the children was to be the most important consideration
  • publication of information which identified parties or witnesses in a case was prohibited unless one of the exceptions listed in the Act applied
  • courts were "closed", this provision was repealed in 1983
  • procedures were simplified and formality reduced, no wigs and gowns were to be worn by Judges or barristers (they were introduced in 1987)

By the mid 1980’s, the Tasmanian Marriage Guidance Council was completing about 3500 counselling interviews per year, mostly in Hobart and Launceston. Many of these interviews were with couples who were seeking to either strengthen their marriage or to determine its continuation.

  • The Commonwealth Government had become a significant provider of funds to approved organizations, including the Tasmanian Marriage Guidance Council.
  • The current Deputy CEO of RA TAS, Debbie Evans, commenced her involvement with the Council in the mid 1980’s,
  • Sue Holmes, recently retired CEO was appointed Director in 1989, following her role as Senior Counsellor
  • Around this time there were five full time employees in Hobart and Launceston and about 20 volunteer sessional staff.
  • Counsellors were generally trained inhouse and there were a number of counsellors who were HEC engineers who saw clients in their lunch times or after work.

The Recent Past

  • In 1994 the Council became Relationships Counselling and Mediation Services Inc, trading as Relationships Australia Tasmania. The name was changed nationally in recognition of changes more broadly in society.
  • Amendments to the Family Law Act in 1996 and in 2006, have lead to a significant change in the focus of the work undertaken by RA TAS. A shift from early intervention services to a mix of early intervention and post separation services has occurred, at the same time as shifts towards inclusion of consideration of children and involvement of children in services.
  • In 1996 RA Tas was the only RA in Australia to successfully tender for funding for the Children’s Contact Service (one of 10 nationally).
  • Following this we were selected to pilot Parenting Orders Program for parents who breach contact orders.
  • Following the success of these new programs and models of service delivery RA Tas successfullly tendered for a range of other programs, including:
  • Breakeven Counselling funded by the State Government
  • Reconnect
  • CCS in Launceston and North West
  • Men and Family Relationships (TassieMale)
  • Carers Program
  • Supporting Children after Separation
  • Family Relationship Centres
  • Family Law Pathways
  • Support for newly arrived refugees
  • Drought Assistance
  • More Allied Health Services Worker in Huon Valley
  • Indigenous Mental Health in Launceston
  • The organization now has an annual budget of close to $ 7 million dollars with staff based at six main sites across the state.
  • Governance is undertaken by a voluntary Executive Board consisting of association members elected to the Executive at the Annual Meeting, who delegate operational management to the CEO.
  • Services are provided in a range of programs to more than 6000 clients per year.
  • Our clients include legally married, de facto, separated and divorced couples, same sex couples, people from aboriginal or Torres Strait backgrounds, as well as from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse backgrounds.
  • Children, teenagers and grandparents are all clients of various programs. We involve members of various communities in a number of program reference groups; we seek to be a sustainable organization – including ensuring environmentally friendly work practices. We continue to value training and are still seen as a valuable training organization – a place to learn how to assist clients with relationship difficulties.
  • We currently have offices in Clare Street and Macquarie Street in Launceston, Paterson Street in Launceston, Fenton Street Devonport and provide some services from other sites in Launceston, St. Helens, and Burnie with outreach to most areas of the state.

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