New Links added

One of the purposes of this blog is to provide an access point to information about the Family Court of Australia (FCoA), the Federal Magistrates' Court (FMC), and the other elements of the legal system such as state courts and police.

There is a definite bias to this blog. It is to give voice to those who are opposed and opposing the discriminatory, sexist, and prejudiced attitudes in the Australian legal and social system, and these aspects in the Australian government. These voices have too long been held silent.
Blatant discrimination and disinformation is constantly opposed. Unfortunately, in this desperate quest, some posts and references will stand in the eyes of certain people as discriminatory, and even sexist.
As the evidence of discrimination is exposed to the public, I hope the inflammatory rhetoric will give way to reason and a sincere effort to irradicate all discrimination from the federal and state courts, and the legal and social systems which support the legal system in Australia.


Under 'Voices of Australia - Websites' :

SPCA - Shared Parenting Council of Australia

The SPCA has branches in all Australian states and territories.
From their website:

"The Shared Parenting Council of Australia was incorporated in September 2002 as a representative body for a range of Parent, Children, Church and Family Law Reform organisations who share the common purpose of prescribing in law, every child's fundamental human right to an equal opportunity and relationship with both their Mother and Father following parental separation or divorce."

Michael Green QC is the President of SPCA. I've had a couple of email exchanges with Mike Green. I find him knowledgable and always level-headed. I almost want to apologize to Mike for not linking the SPCA sooner. Under his guidance, the SPCA has become an important voice in the reform of the Family Court of Australia.

The website displays their efforts in advocacy. Although the organization has only been in existance since 2002, already about half the links on the Affliated and Related Links page are not operational. The website is easy to navigate and professionally presented.
I doubt the SPCA has been funded by the federal or state governments.
The SPCA site is a good starting point for information about the Family Court or Federal Magistrates' Court. There are representatives listed in all states and territories of Australia except Northern Territories and Tasmania.

Family Law Reform, NSW Inc.

This is a very professionally done website that contains advocacy, practical information about the processes of the Family Court and the local legal system. Practical information is available for all stakeholders -- parents, children, grandparents and relatives, -- and how to deal with police and magistrates' orders. Please contact FLR using the online form before following any of the published advice from the site. It may be specific to NSW only.
From their site:

Aims & Objectives of the Association

• To introduce sensible reforms to the workings of the Family Law Act and its courts in Australia.

• To act as a source of constructive aid to all members involved in Family Law proceedings.

• To raise as much support as possible for the association from a broad cross-section of Australian society.

• To disseminate information to members in relation to Family Law.

We are currently working on the following State and Federal Social Policy

• Working with the Department of Education on their new Schools Policy

• NSW Law Reform Commission on AVOs

• Federal Attorney General for the concept of Rebuttable Shared Parenting

• Reforms to Child Support and the way the Agency conducts their business

• Reforms to the Family Court's approach to becoming more user friendly

• Moving away from the litigated to a mediated process of resolution of family matters

I recognize only one name from the FLR site, Richard Long, who has been a frequent contributor to the MRA and fathers4equality lists on Yahoo. Richard's comments have always been informational and level-headed.

Mens Confraternity, Inc WA (updated link)

One of the issues that face men when a relationship disintegrates is the sense of being alone facing an implacable, faceless overwhelming menace. This is a self-destructive attitude that can be overcome by realizing that no one is alone, and that there is help available all across Australia. The Mens Confraternity site is a powerful tool for dispelling those desperate feelings.
The site reflects the advocacy of the organization and is linked to many resources across Australia and the world.
Although the organization does valuable work for all Australians, it is self funded by donations and supporting services. The website is easy to navigate. Someone has certainly improved as more information and links are added constantly. (I hope they get an RSS subscription link soon.) From my review, all the links are active; and there are many pages beneath the drop-down menus at the top.
From the website:

Men's Confraternity is an internet based non-profit and benevolent organisation. Our website offers an online forum and information / services gateway providing help, advice, support and political advocacy to men and fathers with Family Court, child support, paternity and gender equality issues.

...

Men's Confraternity is an Associate Member of the Shared Parenting Council of Australia and we fully support the principle of equal shared parenting after separation or divorce.

I want to thank David Ward for his reciprocal link to this blog. I hope that my efforts here will add to his and others' efforts towards equality before the law for everyone.

Lone Fathers' Associaton, Inc

The Lone Fathers' Association is a national Peak Body and may be the longest-lasting established organization in Australia advocating for equal parenting time.
From the website:

That both parents share responsibility and caregiving after family breakdown, regardless of where the children reside with after separation.

That co-parenting and shared residency after separation shall be the accepted starting point for parents and the Courts. All participants in the separation processes shall recognise the integrity and value of each party as a parent.

That perceived stereo-typing and gender bias in society, Government agencies and the Courts are replaced by processes based upon natural justice and without bias.

The website is a little amateurish and a little difficult to navigatge, but the information available about advocacy is critical for anyone who seeks to understand the issues. Again, this may be intentional to allow access for less technically familiar Australians. As far as I know, LFA is self funded.

There are 18 branches across Australia.

Relationships Australia not included

Let me explain why one link is not there: Relationships Australia.
I like to review the links to my blog and, if possible, contact the owners to let them know that the link has been made. Relationships Australia was a surprise. The site is obviously well-funded.

Although hundreds of millions of dollars -- an estimated $527 million -- has been allocated to fund public support programs for families, men and women, and children struggling through the break up of relationships, the funding has been discriminatory and sexist. Any pretense of an even-handed approach commonly means the organization is not funded by the government of Australia.
An organization prejudiced against men is given generous funding.

A few people have suggested that RA was a good place to begin to deal with a broken marriage or relationship. Others have condemned the organization's services as discriminatory.
In roaming their site, I came across this brochure: FAIR - Family Abuse Integrated Response. It is clearly sexist and discriminatory, assuming by the program's structure that the violence is only from the man, and that no women will ever need anger management training. This brochure is an example of institutionalized prejudice and state-sponsored fear-mongering.
Someday I hope the government allows a class action suit to recoup these misappropriated funds.
I will not include a link to Relationships Australia until all of such programs are removed and public apologies made for such prejudice.