Natasha Stott Despoja (SA, Australian Democrats) Share this | Hansard source

by leave—I move Democrat amendments (25) and (29) to (37) on sheet 4866.

(25)  Schedule 5, item 5, page 133 (lines 3 to 9), omit paragraphs 68M(2)(b) to (e), substitute:

             (b)    a person with whom the child is to live under a parenting order; or

             (c)    a person who is to spend time with the child under a parenting order; or

             (d)    a person who is to communicate with the child under a parenting order; or

             (e)    a person who has parental responsibility, or a component of parental responsibility, for the child.

(29)  Schedule 8, item 48, page 153 (lines 3 to 5), omit subparagraphs 26B(1A)(a)(ii) to (iv), substitute:

                  (ii)    a person is to spend time with a child; or

                 (iii)    a person is to communicate with a child; or

                 (iv)    a person is to have parental responsibility, or a component of parental responsibility, for a child; or

(30)  Schedule 8, item 49, page 153 (lines 20 to 22), omit subparagraphs 37A(2A)(a)(ii) to (iv), substitute:

                  (ii)    a person is to spend time with a child; or

                 (iii)    a person is to communicate with a child; or

                 (iv)    a person is to have parental responsibility, or a component of parental responsibility, for a child; or

(31)  Schedule 8, item 64, page 157 (lines 14 and 15), omit subparagraphs 65Q(1)(a)(ii) and (iii), substitute:

                  (ii)    a person is to spend time with a child; or

                 (iii)    a person is to communicate with a child; and

(32)  Schedule 8, item 74, page 159 (lines 1 to 8), omit paragraphs 67K(1)(a) to (caa), substitute:

             (a)    a person with whom the child is living under a parenting order; or

             (b)    a person who is to spend time with the child under a parenting order; or

             (c)    a person who is to communicate with a child under a parenting order; or

         (caa)    a person who has parental responsibility, or a component of parental responsibility, for the child under a parenting order; or

(33)  Schedule 8, item 75, page 159 (lines 11 to 17), omit subparagraphs 67Q(a)(ii) to (v), substitute:

                  (ii)    a person with whom the child is to live under a parenting order; or

                 (iii)    a person who is to spend time with the child under a parenting order; or

                 (iv)    a person who is to communicate with the child under a parenting order; or

                  (v)    a person who has parental responsibility, or a component of responsibility, for the child;

(34)  Schedule 8, item 77, page 159 (line 26 to 33), omit paragraphs 67T(a) to (caa), substitute:

             (a)    a person with whom the child is to live under a parenting order; or

             (b)    a person who is to spend time with the child under a parenting order; or

             (c)    a person who is to communicate with the child under a parenting order; or

         (caa)    a person who has parental responsibility, or a component of parental responsibility, for the child under a parenting order; or

(35)  Schedule, item 78, page 160 (lines 1 to 7), omit subparagraphs 68B(1)(b)(ii) to (v), substitute:

                  (ii)    a person with whom the child is to live under a parenting order; or

                 (iii)    a person who is to spend time with the child under a parenting order; or

                 (iv)    a person who is to communicate with the child under a parenting order; or

                  (v)    a person who has parental responsibility, or a component of parental responsibility, for the child;

(36)  Schedule 8, item 88, page 161 (lines 21 to 25), omit paragraphs (a) to (ab) of the definition of responsible person, substitute:

             (a)    with whom the child is supposed to live under the order; or

           (aa)    who is supposed to spend time with the child under the order; or

           (ab)    who is supposed to communicate with the child under the order; or

(37)  Schedule 8, item 90, page 162 (lines 3 to 8), omit paragraphs 70M(3)(a) to (ab), substitute:

             (a)    a person with whom the child is supposed to live under the order; or

           (aa)    a person who is supposed to spend time with the child under the order; or

           (ab)    a person who is supposed to communicate with the child under the order; or

This group of amendments makes minor but, we think, important changes to the language of the bill. We believe that these are important amendments because they bring the focus back to where it should be: children. They are designed to reinforce parental responsibilities towards children rather than parents’ rights over children. So I commend the amendments to the chamber and once again record my dismay at the policy and the process with which we have dealt tonight. I think this is a sad day in many respects. We know laws change lives, and I suspect this legislation will change some lives for the worse. That makes me deeply upset, but given that my babysitter has only 10 minutes to go I cannot elaborate on those views in a third reading address. I commend my amendments to the chamber.

Question negatived.

Bill, as amended, agreed to.

Bill reported with amendment; report adopted.