MARK DREYFUS QC MP
SHADOW ATTORNEY-GENERAL
SHADOW MINISTER FOR NATIONAL SECURITY
MEMBER FOR ISAACS
FAMILY COURT SAVED FROM THE COALITION
Christian Porter has finally woken up to reality and abandoned his damaging family court bills, which would have destroyed the fabric of the family law system in the dying days before the election.
This is just more proof that the government will say and do anything in the next six weeks to try and make up for the last six years of cuts and chaos.
Mr Porter has only made this humiliating backdown because he was forced to by Labor and the Senate crossbenchers, after arrogantly deciding to ignore the calls from every single major stakeholder to abandon the project.
It is shocking, however, that Mr Porter has decided to hold the family court system to hostage dangling a pledge of $16 million for additional judges and registrars in front of crossbenchers to convince them to vote for his bills, but refusing to grant those badly-needed resources if the bills do not pass the Parliament. Those resources are desperately needed to help clear a devastating backlog for families that has occurred on this governments watch.
This desperate ploy exposes Mr Porter's project for what it has always been purely political. As Attorney-General, and the custodian of the court system, he should hang his head in shame.
If the coalition loses the upcoming election, this will be Mr Porter's legacy as Attorney-General a failed attempt to destroy the family court, and a raft of Liberal mates in key tribunal positions. Lets hope he is pleased.
Mr Porter is still refusing to release the Australian Law Reform Commissions landmark review into the family law system, handed to the government days ago. He should release it immediately.
If elected, reform of the family law system will be a high priority for a Labor government. Any reforms will be informed by the Australian Law Reform Commission Review and by consultation with the sector. It is welcome that the coalition has finally come to agree that John Howard's creation of a split family law system was a failed experiment, and we expect there will be continued enthusiasm for reform.
WEDNESDAY, 3 APRIL 2019
