Philip Ruddock (Berowra, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Hansard source

The amendments will not be agreed to. Let me just make it very clear that we have funded the Community Services and Health Industry Skills Council to develop competency based accreditation standards for training of family dispute resolution practitioners, counsellors and workers. It is a project guided by a steering committee with recognised experience. I do not want to pre-empt or restrict that project by prescribing matters now that have to be addressed in the rules. Although we expect accreditation rules to be made well in advance of the end of phase 2, I do not intend to be benchmarked in relation to those matters. The fact is there are existing arrangements in the family law regulations and the Family Relationships Services program approval requirements which operate at an individual and organisational level to ensure quality services. I think that is the appropriate way to undertake that task.

Question negatived.

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