Type:	Journal Article
Title:	'We told you so...' Women's legal groups and the Family Law Reform Act 1995
Other Titles:	Australian journal of family law
Authors:	Armstrong, Susan M
Keywords:	Family law
Year:	2001
Publisher:	Butterworths
Citation:	15 (2), July 2001
Notes:	Provides an overview of the major changes made to the Family Law Act 1975 (Cth) in 1995 with the introduction of the Family Law Reform Act, and the involvement of women’s legal services and the National Women’s Justice Coalition in first lobbying for, then critiquing these changes. The specific criticisms offered by women’s legal groups of the legislation, at the time of its introduction, are outlined and it is demonstrated that most of their concerns and predictions were not unfounded. Although the Act recognised violence as a factor to be considered in contact arrangements, it did so in such a way that other new provisions placing greater emphasis on shared parenting and father-child contact, could consistently undermine and overshadow this recognition. Argues the result of this process has been to compromise, rather than enhance, the safety of women and children and to place women in weaker bargaining positions than they were previously, in relation to contact arrangements. Suggests several conclusions which might be drawn from these observations. Firstly, women’s legal groups are well placed to evaluate the likely impact of legislative changes on particular groups. Secondly, the ‘one size fits all approach is inappropriate and lastly, the family law system is in urgent need of reform if it is to become more responsive to violence against women and children.
URI:	https://anrows.intersearch.com.au/anrowsjspui/handle/1/12305
ISSN:	0817-623X
Appears in Collections:	Journal Articles

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