Fed: Parly pushes for equal parent time

AAP General News (Australia)
12-08-2005
Fed: Parly pushes for equal parent time

CANBERRA, Dec 8 AAP - Family Court judges will have to consider ordering separated
parents spend equal time with their children under new laws being introduced to federal
parliament.

The federal government plans to introduce the new laws to the house of representatives today.

Under the plans, Family Court judges will have to consider equal time if they believe
it is in the child's best interests.

Attorney-General Philip Ruddock said before making a decision, the court would have
to consider if the rights of children to know both parents against a right to be protected.

Former Family Court Chief Justice Alastair Nicholson criticised the new laws, saying
they assumed equal time was in the child's best interest.

"The court's always been compelled to consider a situation that's in the best interests
of the child," he told ABC radio.

"But the real problem ... is that it presumes that that is an ideal situation, whereas
in most cases it's not for all sorts of reasons.

"I think that's more or less an attempt to, if you like, pander to the strong pressure
that's been put on the government by various militant fathers' groups."

But Mr Ruddock denied this was the case. He said one in four children of estranged
parents saw their other parent only once a year or less and this needed to be addressed.

Opposition Leader Kim Beazley said Labor would examine the new laws carefully before
making a decision on whether to support them.

"We're going to work our way through that in caucus over the next little while," he
told reporters.

"We have to make absolutely certain ... welfare of children is well protected and we
also have to make sure that people emerge from any family difficulties with a decent chance
to resolve those issues rather than exist in a state of permanent warfare."

AAP bt/sb/mon/jlw

KEYWORD: FAMILY RUDDOCK

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