Members of The Law Society of NSW will be aware of the significant reforms being proposed to the structure of the Family Court and the Federal Circuit Court. There has been significant recent debate on a number of proposals for reform.

President of the Law Society Doug Humphreys said the Law Society had been active in this debate, engaging with the Commonwealth Government through the Law Council of Australia, which represents the profession at a national level.

“We understand that the government will soon introduce legislation to effect its proposed changes and it appears likely that the legislation will be referred to a Senate Committee for further consideration,” Mr Humphreys said.

“We look forward to the release of the legislation and any supporting material setting out the business case for the changes.

“We will take the opportunity to carefully consider the proposals and articulate our position through the Law Council.”

Mr Humphreys said key principles in this area, as the Law Society has previously publicly stated, are adequate resourcing for the family law system, a single point of entry, and the retention of senior and experienced judges who have the requisite skills to handle the complex issues that specifically arise in some family law matters.

“We will continue to press to ensure that these principles guide any reforms to the system,” Mr Humphreys said. “We call for open and transparent consultation between the government and the profession on the matter.

“I will keep you updated as this debate progresses.”