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This week Senator Pauline Hanson rose in the Senate to speak to the Family Law Amendment Bill 2023. As a pivotal player in the discussions and formation of this legislation, her insights offer an in-depth understanding of the changes this bill seeks to bring and the concerns surrounding them.

Hanson’s Support and its Roots

Pauline Hanson, as the deputy chair of the Joint Select Committee on Australia’s family law system, has played a significant role in this legislation. Some of the recommendations she championed have been reflected in the bill. Other important perspectives of One Nation have not been reflected. These changes have been a long-time advocacy point for her, emphasising the paramount importance of children’s best interests in family law cases.

Controversy Over Shared Parental Responsibility

One of the major points of contention One Nation highlights is the removal of the presumption of shared parental responsibility. Introduced in 2006, this presumption was intended to underline that parents share equal responsibility for their child’s care. It was never about ‘equal time’ but rather the commitment and responsibility shared between parents. Hanson fears that by removing this, the legislation might unintentionally bias the system further.

Drawing on the words of family court veterans like Professor Richard Chisolm and Emeritus Professor Patrick Parkinson, Hanson underscores their concerns about rolling back the clock to when mothers were primarily considered the primary caregivers after separation. Parkinson particularly mentioned this change as a “fundamental shift” in the family law system’s underlying values.

Addressing Biases Against Fathers

Pauline Hanson’s speech emphasised a potential systemic bias against fathers. She cites studies and evidence indicating that fathers often face challenges in family court, with many being concerned about their children’s safety in shared parenting arrangements. The removal of shared parental responsibility, Hanson argues, will amplify these biases.

Child’s Wishes and Preventing System Manipulation

One of the commendable points of the bill, according to Hanson, is its focus on a child’s wishes. Independent Child Lawyers (ICLs) will now be required to learn and advocate for these wishes, ensuring that children have a voice in the court proceedings. However, this also demands specialised training for ICLs to accurately represent children, sometimes as young as five.

Another supported aspect is the mechanism to prevent the misuse of the family law system, especially during bitter separations. But again, Senator Hanson emphasises the need for fairness in its application, ensuring both mothers and fathers are treated equitably.

Recommendations for the Child Support System

While many of Hanson’s proposals are present in the bill, she expresses disappointment regarding the child support system reforms. Highlighting Professor Parkinson’s observations on the existing system’s “perverse incentives”, Hanson lists her recommendations. From assessing salaries based on a 38-hour working week to having child support payments reviewed by Services Australia, these changes aim for a fairer system that genuinely supports children.

A Call for Fairness

Pauline Hanson’s speech underscores her commitment to fairness in Australia’s family law system. She believes in a system that doesn’t discriminate based on gender, race, or religion. The evidence collected during the joint select committee inquiry, she feels, should have paved the way for reforms that leaned into justice and fairness.

In concluding her speech, Pauline Hanson expresses her deep sympathies for families navigating this system and promises to continue fighting for genuine reform in Australia’s family law system.

In summary, the Family Law Amendment Bill 2023 brings forth several changes and revisions that can significantly impact Australian families. Through Pauline Hanson’s perspective, we gain a deeper understanding of the implications of these changes and the need for continuous scrutiny and advocacy for a fair system.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese met with Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda in Canberra today – the first visit by a Lithuanian President to Australia in 17 years.

The productive relationship between Australia and Lithuania is underpinned by shared democratic values, a commitment to human rights and open markets, and strong people-to-people ties.

President Nausėda welcomed Australia’s close partnership with the European Union, with both leaders reaffirming their commitment to the conclusion of a comprehensive and ambitious Australia-EU Trade Agreement and to building trade and economic relations.

Prime Minister Albanese and President Nausėda reaffirmed their condemnation of Russia’s illegal, immoral and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, and reiterated their steadfast support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. President Nausėda thanked Australia for its close cooperation with NATO.

Australia and Lithuania have been united in expressing their condemnation of the abhorrent attacks on Israel by Hamas and in underlining the importance of protection of civilian lives and of respect for international humanitarian law.  

The leaders last met in July this year at the NATO Leaders’ Summit in Vilnius.

Quotes attributable to Prime Minister Albanese

“Australia is fortunate to be home to a thriving Australian-Lithuanian community, one of the largest and most active Lithuanian diaspora groups outside of Europe.”

“Strong community ties underpin the modern Australia-Lithuania relationship, which is warm and continues to evolve to meet shared opportunities and challenges.”

Suburbtrends’ latest “Rental Pain Index” for October 2023 provides another disturbing snapshot of the Australian rental market. Building on our comprehensive methodology, this month’s report reveals ongoing challenging conditions, with every suburb in the top 16 scoring the maximum index of 100, underlining the urgency of the crisis at hand.

Kent Lardner, the founder of Suburbtrends, asserts, “This month, we see NSW and QLD as dominant players in contributing to rental stress, particularly in locations like Thorneside in QLD and Greenacre – South in NSW. In such areas, renters are allocating as much as 45% of their income to secure housing, an unsustainable financial burden.”

New to the index this month are glaring vacancy rates, most notably in the worst-affected suburbs, registering below 1%. This trend is consistent with last month’s concerning figures. “These strikingly low vacancy rates exacerbate the existing rental stress, making it increasingly difficult for renters to find suitable housing,” Kent observes.

Nationally, among the top 25 worst-affected suburb groups, rental affordability consistently crosses the 35% threshold, often considered well above the tipping point for financial stress. Remarkably, the index shows that such financial impositions are not limited to any single state but are widespread, flagging a critical issue that needs immediate multi-state intervention.

Kent reiterates, “The current index should serve as a stern wake-up call for policymakers. It’s not merely about escalating numbers but about deteriorating living conditions for Australian renters. As we enter the final quarter of the year, there is an urgent need for targeted policy interventions to alleviate the immense strain renters are under.”

For further details, the complete Rental Pain Index and dataset for October 2023 are now available for download and also supported by a new embeddable map.

Liberal Senator Alex Antic is up to his usual antics this week — introducing a virulently transphobic and homophobic bill to Parliament.

The Australian Greens LGBTIQA+ Spokesperson, Stephen Bates MP, condemns Antic’s hate-fuelled stunt.

There are huge gaps in the provision of gender affirming healthcare in Australia. 

That’s why last election the Australian Greens called for a national LGBTIQA+ health and wellbeing action plan, new national professional standards, an extra $285m over four years in additional funding, and $15 million in dedicated funding to cover out-of-pocket costs for trans and gender diverse people trying to access gender affirming healthcare.

Australia’s healthcare system is already not meeting the needs of trans people — and all the Liberal Party is trying to do is make it even worse. 

STEPHEN BATES MP, AUSTRALIAN GREENS LGBTQIA+ SPOKESPERSON said:

This is loser behaviour. It feels like every sitting week there is another stunt by transphobes desperate for media attention. 

The Senator has the implicit backing of the Liberal Party in introducing his bill and goes to show that you can never trust the Liberals with LGBTIQA+ rights.

This is an Opposition that is just whipping up culture war after culture war, trying to see what sticks — because they have nothing of substance to offer.

Access to healthcare for trans people needs to be led by the trans community and medical experts — not hate-fuelled politicians. When it comes to trans healthcare, we need more funding, more access, and fewer restrictions. 

There are very real consequences to the ongoing anti-trans hate campaigns. We all have a responsibility to protect trans kids. 

We should not give this man and his crusade against trans kids any more oxygen.

Transphobia has no place in our Parliament. Trans rights are non-negotiable.

The Greens have secured a comprehensive review of the Significant Cost Threshold, an outcome with significant potential to reduce discrimination in Australia’s migration system and improve life for many families seeking to make a life in Australia.

The Significant Cost Threshold is the mechanism that allows the Government to deport disabled people on temporary visas or refuse visas to disabled people and their families.

The public review will include a specific reference to the effect of the Significant Cost Threshold on non-citizen children born in Australia to people on temporary visas.

The Greens have been campaigning to end discrimination in the migration system, with families facing deportation because of children born or acquiring disabilities.

The Greens secured the review in exchange for committing to support the government’s Pacific Engagement Visa enabling legislation in the Senate.

We thank Minister Giles for his constructive engagement on this issue.

Immigration and Citizenship spokesperson Senator Nick McKim said:

“We are committed to ensuring that Australia’s migration system is fair and inclusive, and today is a significant step towards achieving that goal.”

“We will continue to stand up for the rights of everyone, no matter where they come from, or their disability.”

“Our migration laws need to be brought in line with community expectations and meet Australia’s obligations under international law.”

Disability spokesperson Senator Jordon Steele-John said:

“Our migration system must be made far more accepting of disabled people.”

The migration system is ableist. It deliberately provides for discrimination based on disability, which is grossly unfair and inhumane.

“This blatant discrimination belongs in the dustbin of history.”

The Greens implore Labor to heed a groundbreaking Southern Ocean report and fund Antarctic science over fossil fuels.

More than 200 scientists from 19 countries today released a new assessment of trends in Southern Ocean ecosystems, in what is being hailed as “an IPCC report for the Southern Ocean”.

The Marine Ecosystem Assessment for the Southern Ocean report was released to coincide with this year’s international meeting of the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) in Hobart. 

Greens spokesperson for healthy oceans, Senator Peter Whish-Wilson said:

“This groundbreaking report clearly states that the long-term maintenance of the Antarctic and Southern Ocean can only be achieved through urgent global action to address climate change and ocean acidity. 

“Australia has a 40% claim to Antarctica territory, so it’s in the Australian Government’s best interest to take this report’s advice seriously. Yet as one of the world’s biggest world’s largest consumers and producers of coal that is still approving new coal and gas projects in 2023, Australia still has a devastatingly long way to go before being considered a global leader in tackling climate change. 

“The Southern Ocean and Antarctic are integral to understanding global weather patterns. Around half of the carbon dioxide taken up by the whole ocean is absorbed by the Southern Ocean, meaning more than ever our planet depends on us protecting these regions.

“Instead of funding fossil fuels, the Albanese Government should be funding Antarctic science, starting with increasing funding and cleaning up the Australian Antarctic Division.”

The Australian Senate has today passed legislation to enable the delivery of the Albanese government’s election commitment of a new Pacific Engagement Visa.

The Pacific Engagement Visa will enable up to 3,000 nationals of Pacific Island countries and Timor-Leste to migrate to Australia as permanent residents each year.

It will create new opportunities for the people of the Pacific and Timor-Leste to live, work and be educated in Australia – strengthening diaspora communities, and encouraging greater cultural, business and educational exchange.

The delivery of this commitment responds directly to long-standing requests from these countries for greater access to Australia for their people.

Legislation passed by the Senate today will enable a pre-application ballot to be used to randomly select applicants for the Pacific Engagement Visa program. If successful in the ballot, applicants would then be required to satisfy criteria including having a job offer in Australia.

The ballot has been welcomed by Pacific partners. It provides a fair and transparent process and ensures equal access for participants of any skill level and occupation, to avoid brain drain from the Pacific and Timor-Leste.

Further legislative amendments before the Senate extend support to participants to help with the cost of education, training and raising a family in Australia.

The Government looks forward to the Pacific Engagement Visa program commencing in 2024, once all remaining legislative and administrative arrangements have been approved, including by the Governor-General in Federal Executive Council.

The Government thanks the parliamentarians who have engaged in this discussion constructively and thoughtfully, particularly those on the cross-bench. It is disappointing the Liberals and Nationals are still failing to listen to Pacific priorities.

For further information visit Pacific Engagement Visa

Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator the Hon Penny Wong said:

“We have heard the calls from Pacific leaders for deeper connections and easier movement around the region.

“The Pacific Engagement Visa will strengthen people-to-people links, and encourage greater cultural, business and educational exchange.

“In delivering this new visa, we want to make a uniquely Australian contribution to building a stronger and more united Pacific family.”

Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs, the Hon Andrew Giles MP said:

“The Pacific Engagement Visa will deliver on the Government’s commitment to deepen our people to people links across the Pacific family.

“The legislation passed today will contribute to the stability, security, and prosperity of our region and demonstrates that stronger Pacific partnerships focussed on shared needs and priorities are in Australia’s national interests.”

Minister for International Development and the Pacific, the Hon Pat Conroy said:

“The Pacific Engagement Visa is a substantive expression of Australia’s special relationship with the Pacific and Timor-Leste and has been welcomed by partners across the region.

“The passage of this legislation demonstrates Australia is listening to Pacific priorities and delivers on its commitments.

“A ballot ensures we do not deprive the Pacific of skills and talent by providing broad access to the program for Pacific and Timor-Leste citizens.”

Shadow Minister for Resources and for Northern Australia, Senator Susan McDonald, has called upon the Queensland and Federal Labor Governments to commit to the future economic strength of North West Queensland and the workforce of Mt Isa, and outline how it will support further development in the North West Minerals Province after Glencore’s decision to close Mt Isa Mines.

“Mt Isa plays a vital role as a hub for North West Queensland commerce, healthcare and schooling and I am deeply concerned about the effect this announcement will have on Mt Isa Mines’ workers and the town’s business owners,” said Senator McDonald.

“Mt Isa Mines’ 60-year operation is a testament to the importance of the North West Minerals province, and operations in and around Mt Isa have contributed billions of dollars back to the local community.

“While no single mine can last forever, this region has been identified as having an abundance of critical minerals and rare earths yet to be developed.

“North West Queensland’s rich potential should not be squandered or ignored, and the Labor Government needs to do more to encourage a pipeline of mining ventures to develop or expand with confidence in order to secure the future of our regional communities.

“It is crucial that State and Federal Governments remove unnecessary red tape slowing down the approval of the next generation of mines in order to continue to provide opportunity and a prosperous future for the North West of Queensland.

“The Government needs to work to ensure Mt Isa remains a thriving regional town for the sake of local workers, businesses, agriculture, mining and indigenous communities who rely on this important centre in Northern Australia for supplies, schooling, healthcare, air travel and employment.”