On 17 February 2021 the Senate passed the proposed Family Law Merger bill despite strong opposition by many of the stakeholders involved in Family Law....
The changes effected to our Family Law system back in 2006 have had a huge impact on the approach to child care arrangements in separated families, but have also been largely misunderstood....
As a grandparent myself, I can well understand the emotional distress that may be caused where parents refuse to allow their child to spend time with a grandparent. This issue arose recently in the case of Sarti & Sarti, heard on Appeal in the Family Court...
There has been a nationwide effort to criminalise coercive control since the tragic murder of Hannah Clarke and her three children Laianah, 6, Aaliyah, 4, & Trey, 3, at the hands of her estranged husband Rowan Baxter, in Queensland on 19 February 2020 when he...
One of the primary objectives of the Court in parenting matters is to determine what the best interests of the children are and to make orders to that effect. In some circumstances, a Court will appoint an Independent Children’s Lawyer (“ICL”) to your matter. An...
The short answer to this question is 'yes' it could be categorised as a 'De Facto Relationship' if it meets the criteria set out below. Therefore, you need to be aware that once you start spending significant time with a new partner, you are leaving yourself...
You should try and deal with your own emotions first and avoid letting your emotions get in the way of making decisions. Naturally, going through a separation is a very emotional and difficult time for clients. Try and treat your settlement as a ‘civil business-like...
Clients will often ask us "What is the difference between a Divorce and a Property Settlement?" and "Do I have to wait any period of time before I do my property settlement?". The answers to these questions and more can be found in...
Secret Centrelink. In this article we will explore some lesser known Centrelink legislation that can be used to improve individuals and couples Centrelink outcomes. ...