Macindoe Tim: Family Court Proceedings Reform Bill — First Reading 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Macindoe Tim: Family Court Proceedings Reform Bill — First Reading 
[Sitting date: 04 December 2012. Volume:686;Page:7042. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
TIM MACINDOE (National—Hamilton West) 
: 
 I welcome the opportunity to support the introduction of the Family Court Proceedings Reform Bill which as has already been noted will be referred to the Justice and Electoral Committee if it gains support at its first reading. 
I have been listening very carefully to the concerns expressed by some Opposition members this evening. Some of them I have to say are unduly alarmist but nevertheless I have taken them on board. I am pleased that they do support some of the bill’s provisions but I just remind them that both of those aspects will undoubtedly attract submissions when the bill is referred to the select committee so they will receive due consideration. For that reason I have to say I particularly reject Mr Goff’s fairly hysterical contribution and his criticisms that this measure is being rushed and is poorly conceived. 
As the Hon Chester Borrows indicated when moving the first reading of this bill it is an omnibus bill that is aimed at ensuring that a modern accessible family justice system responsive to children and to vulnerable people who come before it will be in place to meet the ever-changing needs of modern families in our society. Those changes seem to be more dramatic each year and do put particular pressure on the courts and of course on the families themselves. So the bill unashamedly focuses on the needs of children—I think that is a good thing—first and foremost rather than of those couples whose relationships have become strained. Important that those needs are it is the needs of the children that are rightly being put centre stage when we consider this bill. 
I commend the proposed establishment of the Family Disputes Resolution process—in fact I am pleased to hear that most members seem to agree with that. It is aimed at supporting people to resolve their disputes where that is possible and appropriate out of court. It is so much better if that can be achieved out of court by agreement rather than by some sort of court-imposed settlement. Where it is not appropriate or possible of course the bill focuses the Family Court on disputes that will require a judicial decision. That is logical. That is an appropriate evolution. 
The changes proposed in the bill are designed to make the operation of the court more efficient and more effective. That has to be a good thing. They are designed to reduce or to mitigate the adversarial nature of Family Court proceedings. That has to be a very good thing particularly where children are caught in the middle of heart-wrenching and often acrimonious disputes. Where we can avoid that that has to be a good thing and particularly as Alfred Ngaro so passionately articulated during his very impressive contribution a short time ago the bill is focused on improving the court’s response to victims of domestic violence. 
I want to discuss a few of the features of the bill that may be of interest to those who are listening. What is changing here is that for some private matters people will be supported to resolve their disputes without the need to go to court. The Family Disputes Resolution process is focused on achieving lasting outcomes that the parties can accept and live by. It aims to give people the skills that they need to resolve problems. Surely that is a healthy move. It is encouraging parents to be responsible for reducing the negative impact that their conflict has on the children involved. The process is better for children than going through the court system. 
I want to conclude by assuring the House that the Justice and Electoral Committee will work to ensure that the bill’s admirable objectives are achieved. I repeat my support for its introduction this evening.