To the Honourable President and members of the Senate in Parliament assembled:

We, the undersigned, care deeply about the children of Australia and their rights. We care about children's rights above parent's rights. We strongly support the Family Law Legislation Amendment (Family Violence and Other Measures) Bill 2011 and call on the Senate to do the following:

We ask the Senate to implement the Family Law Legislation Amendment (Family Violence and Other Measures) Bill 2011, in its entirety, as soon as possible.

We also ask that the amendments be made retrospective so that cases involving children who are suffering now (those who are still alive yet in the care of abusive parents), as a consequence of the 2006 'reforms', can be revisited and new orders handed down.

We ask the Senate to consider urgent amendments to the Family and Federal Magistrates Court, so that all legal matters involving children be heard in a specially equipped court staffed by independent (not court assigned) experts in the fields of child development and family violence.

We ask that judicial discretion, reform and accountability be made an urgent priority so that outrageous family court rulings made by Judges and Magistrates which have clearly put children at risk of harm, can be challenged at any time in a clear-cut, straight forward manner.

We ask that the media be allowed to report on specifics in family law matters, under certain circumstances. This current disturbing situation would need to be investigated.

We further request that the Senate set up a Royal Commission to look into the harm being inflicted upon children because of the current deficiencies in the Family and Federal Magistrates Courts of Australia.

by Senator Heffernan (from 2,220 citizens).