Dean Smith (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

At the request of Senator O'Sullivan, I move:

That—

(a) the time for the presentation of the final report of the Joint Select Committee on Australia's Family Law System be extended to the last sitting day in February 2021; and

(b) a message be forwarded to the House of Representatives seeking the concurrence of the House in this variation to the resolution of appointment of the committee.

Rachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Deputy President, I think Senator Waters wants to seek leave to make a short statement.

Sue Lines (WA, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Let me seek agreement to that. Leave is granted for one minute, Senator Waters, but we are having trouble with the audio. I'm sorry, but that's not going to be possible. Yes, Senator Siewert?

Rachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I wonder if I could seek leave for Senator Waters to incorporate her statement in the Hansard, once I've shown it to the whips.

Sue Lines (WA, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes, with the concurrence of the whips, thank you, that will be incorporated. Yes, Senator Smith?

Dean Smith (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Could you confirm that we're incorporating Senator Waters's one-minute statement because of the technical interruption? That's right?

Sue Lines (WA, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes, and that's with the concurrence of the whips.

The statement read as follows—

A coalition of more than 100 women and children's safety organisations have condemned this inquiry as unnecessary and dangerous. They feared it would embolden abusers and put women and children at greater risk. They urged the government to focus instead on implementing the over 200 recommendations that have already been made by numerous previous inquiries.

Since March, there has been a 70% increase in urgent family law applications in the Federal Circuit Court and a 200% increase in urgent complex matters in the Family Court, driven by family violence. We still have 1 woman being killed each week by a partner or former partner. As the economic stress of the COVID crisis continues, the Chief Justice of the Family Court predicts even higher numbers.

The Law Council of Australia, originally supportive of the inquiry, changed its position after giving evidence at a hearing. They've now called for the inquiry to be discontinued and said it was clear that the inquiry "is being used for political purposes to undermine domestic violence claims made by women".

The Greens have opposed this inquiry from the outset and we're disappointed by this extension. We don't need a further 5 months of toxic hearings, we need urgent action and funding to ensure the family law system is safe.

Question agreed to.