The Law Council of Australia is calling upon the Council of Australian Governments to seize the opportunity for intergovernmental action following the release of the Victorian Royal Commission Report into Family Violence.
Law Council of Australia President Stuart Clark AM said a number of the report’s recommendations could be seized on by COAG leaders, including:
- the recommendation to adopt family law reforms that reduce fragmentation of jurisdictions in cases involving family violence;
- the creation of a single national database for family violence, child protection and family law orders, judgments, transcripts and other relevant court documentation that is accessible to each of the relevant courts and other agencies;
- the development of a national family violence risk assessment framework and tool;
- the expansion of resourcing for legal services to resolve the current overburdening of duty lawyer services in family violence matters;
- the development of safety hubs, and;
- the streamlining of court processes for families affected by family violence by enhancing the powers of specialist family violence courts and ensuring that all family violence matters are heard and determined in such courts.
“The nation’s leaders have been presented with a golden opportunity to stand on the shoulders of the Victorian Royal Commission and act decisively to reduce family violence,” Mr Clark said.
“The recommendations we know will have a real effect have been laid out. We now need genuine national leadership to get them implemented.”
Anil Lambert (media) M. 0416 426 722 E. anil@hortonadvisory.com.au // www.lawcouncil.asn.au
