Submission - Top End Womens Legal Service
Top EndWomen'sLegalService
15February2017
TOPENDWOMEN'SLEGALSERVICEINC.
GPOBox1901DarwinNT08012/17LindsaySt,DarwinNT0801
Tel:(08)89823000IFax:(08)89419935
TollFree:1800234441IEmail:
ABN:42830944178
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PublicConsultation:FamilyviolenceamendmentsFamilyLawBranch
Attorney-General's Department3-5NationalCircuit
BartonACT2600
Byemailto
DearSirorMadam,
Submission to the Exposure Draft: Family Law Amendment (Family Violence and Other Measures) Bill 2017 - Top End Women's Legal Service Inc.
ThankyouforinvitingcommentstotheFamilyLawAmendment(FamilyViolenceandother measures)Bill2017('theBill').TheTopEndWomen'sLegalServiceInc.('TEWLS')welcomestheopportunitytomakeasubmissiontotheproposedamendmentstotheFamily LawAct 1975(Cth)('theAct').
AboutTEWLS
TEWLSisacommunitylegalcentrefocusedontheadvancementofwomen'srights.We arefundedbytheCommonwealthAttorneyGeneral'sDepartmentandDepartmentofthe PrimeMinisterandCabinettoprovidelegaladvice,casework, referrals andcommunity legaleducationtowomenintheTopEndoftheNorthernTerritory('NT').TEWLSprovidesassistanceinanumberofareasoflawincludingdomesticandfamilyviolence,familylaw,compensationforvictimsofcrime,sexualassault,housing,discrimination,workplacehealth andsafety,employmentlaw,motorvehiclesandconsumercreditdebts.Weprovideoutreachservicesforculturallyandlinguisticallydiversewomen,Aboriginalwomeninthe towncommunitiessurroundingDarwinandwomenincarceratedintheDarwinCorrectionalPrecinct.
In2015-2016,approximately60%ofTEWLSclientssoughtassistanceinrelationtodomesticandfamilyviolencematters.Inmanyofthesematters,domesticandfamilyviolenceissueswereintertwinedwithfamilylaw issues,includingparentingarrangements andpropertysettlements.
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OurSubmission
Ingeneral, TEWLSsupportstheBillandendorsesthefollowingamendments:
•Introduction ofsection69ZLoftheActshouldallowforefficiencyofStateandTerritoryCourtsin proceedingsforinterimparenting orders;
•Repealofthe'obligationtoprovidemaritalservices'provision-thisprovisionisoutofdate, doesnotreflectcurrentlawinotherareasandisagainsttheprinciplesof equalitywithinrelationships;
•Introductionofsub-sections68T(1)(b)and(c)oftheActwillbringthesection'soperationinlinewithsection68RofAct'sprovisionforfamilyviolenceorders,aswellasactingtomitigatethepotentialinconsistenciesonthefaceofCourtordersandriskstochildrenandtheircarers;and
•Introduction ofsubsections68P(2A),(2B) and(2C)oftheActwillfocusthe operationofsection68PoftheActonthebestinterestsofthechild.
TEWLSholdsconcernsinrelationtokeyissuesincludedintheBill,whereoursubmission isbasedonourexperiencewithintheTopEndof theNT.
AExpansionofStateandTerritoryCourts'familylawjurisdiction
TEWLSsupportstheproposedamendmentsthatwillenableStateandTerritoryCourtstodealwithparentingandpropertymattersundertheAct.Theseamendmentswillallowmore complexmattersinvolvingfamilyviolenceandchildprotectionconcernstobedealtwithin onecourt,encouragingconsistencywhilediscouragingduplication.Inaddition,the proposedexpansionwillfacilitateincreasedaccesstojusticeforthoseresidingintheruralandremoteareaswheretheLocalCourtattendsoncircuit.TEWLSalsosupportstheproposeddevelopmentoftheNationalDomesticandFamilyViolenceBenchBookforjudicialofficersandtrainingforjudicialofficersonfamilyviolenceandfamilylaw.
Whilesupportingtheproposedexpansion,TEWLSholdsconcernsinrelationtofunding;specifically,thatthere isnoproposaltoincreasefunding forresources,includingcourt resources,judicialofficersandlegaladvocates,soastocarrytheproposaladditionalworkloadoftheStateandTerritoryCourts.Itisalsonotedthatthe PublicConsultationPaperdoesnotproposetoprovidetrainingtolawyers,police,non-judicialcourtstaffortochildprotectionpersonnelinrelationtotheamendments.IfadequateresourcesandtrainingarenotprovidedtothoseprofessionalswhoassisttheCourttorunonaday-to-daybasis,thereisariskthattheCourtwillnotbeencouragedtoexercisetheproposedjurisdiction,meaningtheexpansionwouldbecomedefunct.
BSections68Cand114AAoftheAct-Breachesofinjunctions
WhileTEWLSwelcomestheintentoftheproposedsections68Cand114AAofthe Act,itisofsomeconcernthatthereappearstobenoprovisionfortrainingtoStateandTerritorypoliceinrelationtotheirexpandedpowersinthisarea.Inourexperience,thiswouldbeparticularlypoignantforclientswhowouldhavebeenadvisedinrelationtoenforceabilitybutwouldsubsequentlybeunabletoaccessenforcementthroughtheirlocalpoliceservice,who would be unaware of the new powers under theAct. Further,we notethat the
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proposedrestrictionofinjunctionsmadeundersections688(1)(c)and(d)oftheActisapotentialpointofconfusion,wherethepurposeoftheinjunctionwouldseeminglyneedtobeincludedontheinjunctionitselftoempowerpolicetoexercisetheirenforcementpowers. Soastoremedythisconfusion,TEWLSrecommendsthattheproposedoffenceprovisionsinrelationtobreachesofinjunctionsundertheActbebroadenedtoincludeallactions prohibitedbytherelevantinjunction.
IntheNT,theproposedamendmentswillcreateinconsistencyinpenaltiesprovidedfor breachofadomesticviolenceorder('DVO')madeundertheDomesticandFamilyViolence Act(NT}('DFVA')andthosepenaltiesforbreachofaninjunctionasproposedbytheBill.WeretheBilltobeimportedintotheAct,therewouldexisttwopenaltyschemesfor defendantsofDVOsandinjunctionsintheNT:
•UndertheDFVA,thecurrentpenaltyforbreachofaDVOistwoyearsimprisonmentor400penaltyunits;and
•UndertheBill,thepenaltyforbreachofaninjunctionistwoyearsimprisonmentor 120penaltyunitsundertheAct.
NotingthatpenaltyunitsdifferbetweentheNTandCommonwealthjurisdictions,theBillwouldcreateanoffenceschemethatiseffectivelylessthanthatwhichisavailableunder thecurrent DFVA.Asaconsequence,protectedpersonsmaystillfeeltheneedtohave ordersunderboththeDFVAandtheAct,ormaychoosenottohaveaninjunctionmadeundertheAct.Soastoensureconsistencyandequalprotectionforprotectedpersons underboththeDFVAandtheAct,werecommendthattheActshouldprovidethatthe penaltyforbreachofaninjunctionisthepenaltyprovidedundertheequivalentlegislationofthejurisdictionwithinwhichtheoffenceiscommitted.
CSection45AoftheAct-Dismissalofunmeritoriousapplications
WhileTEWLSwelcomestheclarificationofthecourts'powertosummarilydismissunmeritoriousapplications,weareconcernedthatadominantpartymaymisusetheintroductionofsection45AoftheAct,particularlywherefamilyanddomesticviolenceisanissue.WenotethatthisconcernwasalsoraisedbyWomen'sLegalServicesQueensland andtheAustralianWomenAgainstViolenceAllianceduringtheconsiderationofthelapsedFamilyLawAmendment(FinancialAgreementsandOtherMeasures)Bill2015.An unrepresentedpartywhoisexperiencingthestressoftenaccompanyingapplicationsunder theActmaymakeerrorsinpresentingtheircase,givingittheappearanceofbeingwithout merit,frivolousorvexatious.Thisisparticularlyconcerninggiventheupcomingfundingcuts of30%toCommunityLegalCentres,particularlyincludingWomen'sLegalServices,inthe
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coming financial year, which will see an increase in self-represented applications coming
before the Courts. So as to ensure that section 45A of the Act is able to be used
appropriately, we recommend the reconsideration of funding cuts to Community Legal
Centres, particularly including Women's Legal Services.
Conclusion
We thank you for your consideration of the above and would be pleased to be contacted should you wish to discuss this submission further on (08) 8982 3000 or by email to .
Yours faithfully,