(Dads are most at risk and are six times more likely to commit suicide because of family breakdown. Approximately 3 dads everyday commit suicide in Australia because of decisions of the Family Court and associated authorities.)
MEDIA RELEASE Monday, 5 November 2007
Independent MLC Ann Bressington is again asking the question "WHAT IS HAPPENING TO OUR CHILDREN" and why do governments ignore the plight of everyday children, parents and families whose lives are being ruined by the "Industry of Human Misery" - The Family Law Court System.
Ann will be attending the "9/11 Event" in Sydney on 9th November at " 12 High Noon " in the SMC Conference Centre, 66 Goulburn Street, cnr Castlereagh, Sydney to assist the grassroots "Aussie Battlers" encompassing Mums, Dads, Grandparents, CHILDREN and Families that have had enough of the system that reigns misery on the families of Australia. Who do we trust to protect us against the destruction of the family? Neither the Labor nor Liberal parties in the coming Federal election have made any commitment to amending the Family Law Act 1975 to serve the best interests of children, mums, dads, grandparents of Australia.
Children who suffer from "Parental Alienation" do not achieve good outcomes in life. They are more likely to use drugs, more likely to become entrenched in the youth justice system, more likely to be abused and less likely to be able to sustain healthy relationships later in life.
Parents fight for the right to be part of their children's lives. Dads are most at risk and are six times more likely to commit suicide because of family breakdown. Approximately 3 dads everyday commit suicide in Australia because of decisions of the Family Court and associated authorities.
Children, Mums, Dads and Grandparents want a fair go and they want to have the right to preserve the sacred family unit, the basic fabric of our society and THEY WANT IT NOW! We must restore the balance and allow our children the happiness and health they deserve.
"For evil to prosper - good men need to nothing at all."
Ann said it was disappointing that Family Law Reform had not been a focus of the Federal Election.
"Is Kevin Rudd interested in men? The answer sadly seems to be no. The Opposition Leader rarely talks about issues affecting many of his own gender, like Family law, child support, fatherless families, boys education."
Meanwhile in a response to a desperate father the Attorney-General Phillip Ruddock had this to say:
"The ACT (Family Law Act) does not imply a presumption that parents have a right to be meaningfully involved in their children's lives".
Perhaps this legislation should be named the "The Anti Family Law Act 1975". If the "intent" of the legislation is not for parents to have a right to be meaningfully involved in their children's lives then it is not a law to preserve families or protect children and IT IS FLAWED.
THERE IS ONLY ONE THING WORSE THAN NO LEGISLATION AND THAT IS "BAD" LEGISLATION!
So we see the ideology of both sides of government in a few lines of print. The laws of this land should have the primary consideration of serving the people who elected the law makers and ensuring that their lives are safe and secure under the government of the day. Whoever wins the coming election does not appear to be interested in serving the best interests of children, parents or families and they must be held accountable for the creation of this "Brave New World" where families are less important than the profiteering of the legal system and the power games of the judiciary.
If the government of the day cannot "govern" then it is time for change. Family Law issues effect thousands of honest Aussie battlers directly and the Family Law Court has a responsibility to make judgments based on fact, based on the rights of the child to know his/her parents, to protect the child where and when necessary and to preserve the rights of parents to have meaningful relationships with their children when and wherever possible.
Mr Howard and Mr Rudd want to make employment and the economy the election issue that is in the forefront of the minds of Australians. Parents who have had their families torn away from them do not care about employment or the economy they care about "who will help them get the justice they deserve?"
The 2007 election is the most important election we will have because it can be the election where the will of the Australian public is heard "loud and clear" through their votes.
Will you vote for a government who:
a.. Does not have the will to correct flawed legislation.
b.. Does not have the courage to admit that they didn't get it right
c.. Does not have the conviction to protect the citizens of this country
d.. Does not have the commitment to get it right
REMEMBER, FOR DEMOCRACY TO WORK WE HAVE TO WORK AT DEMOCRACY.
Our views on this:
We acknowledge some of the comments, the notion of intact happy families is idealistic, but simply does not happen in every case. We wish that all children could be born to two loving and co-operative parents. There are no government agencies, lawyers or laws that cause families to fall apart. This is done by the adults that came together then parted. The law only tries to mend or reduce damage from what humans have broken, and in Family Law, as well as most other areas, lag behind the inventivness of the human mind. We ask? Why don’t we hear suggestions of how " to protect the child where and when necessary" from neglect, violence and abuse both within the family unit AND to assist a parent fleeing such circumstances. These are the very actions of a parent that were instrumental in causing the relationship to break down in the first place. That parental violence exists in so many relationships is a factor that is swept under the carpet and given very little attention.
Parental violence - acknowledgment and solutions to - is the one factor that divides the "two sides" in the debate over family law...all agree that good parents should see their kids and share in parental responsibility. No one denies that kids need two good parents a mum and a dad..just about everyone loathes the way child support is administered, no one thinks that child protection agencies do a good job, and everyone thinks that it costs way to much to try and sort out seperation and child related issues.
What is NOT acknowledged by all the power brokers in this game, is that parents alienate themselves from the kids because of their own actions....but if there is a protective parent, woe betide them if they try to protect the child from an abuser....they are called abusive, alienating and 'unfriendly' and self serving empire builders continue to howl about "parental alientation" (read 'father' alienation), to the exclusion of all other factors, garnering attention and accolades for themselves in the process and opening wide the doors for parental child abuse, especially physical and sexual to continue..