On 29 March 2023, the Federal Government tabled the following three Bills in Parliament. If passed, these Bills will impact on separated couples:
○ Family Law Amendment Bill 2023
○ Family Law Amendment (Information Sharing) Bill 2023
○ Social Services Legislation Amendment (Child Support Measures) Bill 2023.
The tabling of these Bills is in response to the legislative reforms proposed by the 2019 Australian Law Reform Commission’s Final Report: Family Law for the Future — An Inquiry into the Family Law System and implements elements of the Government Response to the Joint Select Committee on Australia’s Family Law System.
The Bills include amendments to clarify various aspects of family law and are intended to better support the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia’s (FCFCOA) new approach to case management. The Information Sharing Bill expands the information sharing framework for information relating to family violence, child abuse and neglect risks in parenting proceedings before the various Family Courts in Australia.
This is the first major reform of family law since the commencement of the FCFCOA on 1 September 2021. Further legislative reform is expected later in 2023, including in relation to the law regarding property settlements between separated couples. Staying informed and adapting to changes has been a constant for our Specialist Family Law Team in recent years. We will continue to keep our clients informed of the impact of these changes on their matters as the year progresses.
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