Parents locked in child custody disputes and couples going through acrimonious divorces will wait up to three years to have their cases finalised as “drastic underfunding” of the Federal Circuit Court and a mass exodus of retiring judges exacerbate already long waits…

Justice Diana Bryant said access to legal aid was already a problem in the Family Court, and she was worried about the impact of a further $15 million in Commonwealth funding cuts outlined in the budget…

The relationships of Australia are about to get a free tune-up, courtesy of Kevin Andrews. In July this year he will introduce a program whereby couples of all persuasions — those about to be married, the already married, the unmarried, same-sex couples, those hoping to soup up a sagging sex life — will be able to apply online for a $200 counselling voucher…

The federal budget cuts to legal aid will undermine access to justice for Canberra’s most disadvantaged, the capital’s legal fraternity says…

CHILD welfare is being compromised and the safety of women put at risk because of unacceptable delays in the nation’s family law system, with courts in Sydney’s west reaching “crisis point”…

Budget pressures have prompted Legal Aid to consider closing two of its metropolitan offices and centralise services at its Perth headquarters…

Perhaps the most significant amendments to the parenting provisions were introduced by the Howard Government in 2006. While these also gave some new priority to issues of family violence, they are generally seen as at least having had the effect of prioritising relationships with both parents after separation over the significance of family violence to decision making about parenting…

CUTS to the nation’s 65 Family Relationship Centres have prompted more than half to reduce staffing and put families at risk. ..

With the Federal Election looming, it is interesting to note the policies of each of the major political parties with respect to family law issues…