Pauline Hanson (Queensland, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate—

(a) acknowledges that:

  (i) male suicides increase significantly over Christmas, and

  (ii) discriminatory aspects of Australia's family law system, which acts to separate children from parents and grandparents at Christmas time, contribute to this increase; and

(b) calls on the Federal Government to take urgent steps to deal with discriminatory aspects of the Australian family law system.

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for International Development and the Pacific) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for International Development and the Pacific) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The family law system is a complex and challenging area. The government are deeply committed to ensuring that Australian families have all the support they need, especially at difficult moments in their lives which can occur when they are caught up for long periods of time in the court system. That is why we have proposed the reforms to the family courts that are before the Senate to improve outcomes for families. We have also established the first comprehensive inquiry into the family law system, which is being overseen by the Australian Law Reform Commission. The government will carefully consider the ALRC's report and recommendations once it is delivered on 31 March 2019.

Anthony Chisholm (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Anthony Chisholm (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Although Labor opposes this motion, Labor is acutely aware of the failings of the family law system and the impact these deficiencies can have on families and children. It is important to acknowledge that mental ill health and family breakdown are complex issues and suicide is always a tragedy. There is currently a major Senate inquiry into the government's proposed Family Court amalgamation, which will report in March, and a comprehensive review of the family law system is also being undertaken by the Australian Law Reform Commission, which will report back to the Australian people in April next year. Labor will carefully consider the outcomes of both of these major inquiries before deciding whether a further inquiry, including a royal commission into the family law system, with all the enormous costs and delays that would involve, would assist. In the meantime, Labor will continue to fight for improvements to the family law system, including increased funding for more court registrars, judges and legal assistant services, and capital works for court buildings to make them safer.

Pauline Hanson (Queensland, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Pauline Hanson (Queensland, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My motion here is about male suicides, especially over Christmas. We've just had the Christmas break. The discriminatory aspects of the Australian family law, which act to separate children from parents and grandparents, actually contribute to the increase. Nothing was done about family law until I actually came back to this parliament and started pushing for something to be done. There are deaths happening in this country because everyone is sitting on their hands and doing nothing about it. You say you're going to put more money into it, but it needs more than just more money put into the whole system. It is unfair, and mostly it's unfair to fathers. It's estimated that about three men are suiciding a day and one woman is murdered a week. We need to do something about this urgently. Don't just sit there and think you feel sympathetic about it. We are the legislators of this country. We need to start really doing something. We need to have a royal commission into the family law court matters and start sorting out the problems. It's not only the children who are affected but also the parents.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question is that motion No. 1332 be agreed to.