Jackie Kelly (Lindsay, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is addressed to the Attorney-General. Would the Attorney-General update the House on how the new family relationship centres will help families such as those with children attending the Corpus Christi school in my electorate, who are in the gallery today, to resolve issues surrounding separation without resorting to the courts?

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

I thank the honourable member for Lindsay for her question. I would like to say to the students from the Corpus Christi school that they have an outstanding member in the member for Lindsay, one who, I might say, has taken a great deal of interest in family law and related issues. On that basis, I can certainly say to her constituents and prospective constituents that she made a significant contribution to one of the hallmark reports of this parliament, Every picture tells a story, which was the genesis of the family law reforms about which I have been asked. I was able to launch for her in her electorate the proposed family relationship centre last year and of course I commend her involvement in the task force that has been assisting in the development of these initiatives.

Next month will herald a new era for Australian families in dealing with the family law system. These are the most significant changes to the law in three decades and they will take place on 1 July. The first 15 family relationship centres—including a centre at Penrith, in the member’s electorate—will open their doors on 3 July, as will the new website and the new family relationships advice line. Combined with significant legislative changes and the biggest investment—some $400 million over four years—in the family law system, we will see a cooperative approach encouraged to deal with the difficult issues surrounding family breakdown. Families will be able to access support at all levels of their relationship. Where separation is inevitable, it will ensure that parents are focused on arrangements that are in the best interests of their children.

These reforms have been widely anticipated by most and certainly welcomed, but I am sorry that there are some who have been trying to talk down these initiatives and misrepresent them. For instance, the member for Gellibrand has resisted supporting these changes, despite the fact that a number of colleagues on the parliamentary committee agreed with them. She has had hardly a positive thing to say about them. She said that family relationship centres would be ‘sausage factories’. She made out that they would expose women and children to violence, when it is clear that we have put in place arrangements to ensure that should not happen.

Nicola Roxon (Gellibrand, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I raise a point of order as to relevance, Mr Speaker. I am not sure that it is in order for the minister to give such a quote when it actually says they should ‘not be sausage factories’—and we hope that they will not be.

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Gellibrand will resume her seat. I am listening closely to the Attorney-General.

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

I will not spend much time on this, but she also suggested that staff would not be qualified. She begrudged services for families, particularly in the northern suburbs of Sydney because they were represented by the coalition, but failed to acknowledge that 44 per cent of the centres will be in areas covered by the Labor Party. She did not even acknowledge that there would be one in the seat of the Leader of the Opposition and of the Deputy Leader of the Opposition and, I might just say, she even suggested that there were some difficulties about contractual arrangements—which are in place. But when the first family relationship centres open their doors to Australian families despite the negative views we have heard from the member for Gellibrand, those views will be seen for what they have been: very irrelevant.

Kim Beazley (Brand, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You are better at vilifying refugees, Phil.

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order!

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise on a point of order, Mr Speaker. If I may say so, that was a grubby remark and it should be withdrawn. It is offensive and it should be withdrawn.

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Leader of the House will resume his seat. The Leader of the Opposition has been asked to withdraw that remark. The Leader of the Opposition will stand up and withdraw it.

Kim Beazley (Brand, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I withdraw, but it is a legitimate point, Mr Speaker.

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Leader of the Opposition will withdraw without reservation.

Kim Beazley (Brand, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I withdraw.

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the Leader of the Opposition.