National Plan to End Violence Against Women and Children - Second Action Plan - Family Law

Question

The DFSV Commissioner recommended an audit of family law outcomes. Is the work commissioned from ANU on the 2023 changes to the Family Law Act the government's only response to this recommendation? Please list all data DSS currently collects on the safety and wellbeing outcomes of women and children following family law proceedings. Are any other studies or reviews proposed to inform the Department on the safety outcomes of proceedings? Will the Second Action Plan expressly address systemic harms experienced by women and children after separation? Many women report not being able to afford legal representation in family court proceedings, including Legal Aid and Women's Legal Services having no capacity to assist and private practitioners charging exorbitant fees. Has DSS made any representations to the Attorney-General about the adequacy of funding for legal support, and ongoing reviews of accreditation for family report writers and children's contact services?

Answer

Please see attached answer.

Documents

• Question with answer (PDF) (opens in a new tab)
• DSS SQ26-000344.pdf (opens in a new tab)