Consultation paper – Amendments to the Family Law Act 1975 to respond to family violence

The Government is progressing amendments to the Family Law Act that would improve the family law system’s response to family violence. Given the importance of these amendments, the Government is releasing an Exposure Draft of the amendments for public consultation. These amendments form part of the Government’s broader package of measures to stop family violence.

Currently, families experiencing violence and conflict are often required to engage with multiple courts to address their legal needs—including state and territory criminal courts, family law courts and children’s courts. This can cause confusion and lead to delays in resolving matters, which can give rise to unsafe situations.

These changes are intended to reduce the need for some families to navigate both the state/territory and federal court systems in order to resolve their disputes.