by Dee McLachlan
I wrote to all the Attorneys-General on 27 September, 2018, describing that “This is utter madness that we cannot help these children NOW… The cruelty of the system is quite unimaginable – and most likely criminal.” The open letter was published here.
I received this reply from the Attorney-General, the Hon Christian Porter MP’s office. It was from Adam Brooker, A/g Director, Family Safety Branch. The letter clarifies the ‘state of affairs’ and the commitment to protect children. NOT.
And now the letter:
13 November 2018
Dear Ms McLachlan
Thank you for your email of 28 September 2018 to the Attorney-General, the Hon Christian Porter MP, about the family law courts’ handling of cases involving allegations of child abuse. I have been asked to respond on behalf of the Attorney-General. I apologise for the delay in this response.
The Australian Government is committed to ongoing improvements to the family law system and providing the best possible outcomes for families and children, this includes improving the ability of the family law courts’ to respond appropriately to matters involving allegations or substantiated claims of family violence or child abuse.
It may interest you to know that the Attorney-General has directed the Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC) to conduct the first comprehensive review of the family law system since the Family Law Act 1975 (Cth) came into operation. The ALRC is due to deliver its report at the end of March 2019. The review is considering what reforms to the family law system and the Family Law Act 1975 are necessary to meet the needs of Australian families into the future. The Terms of Reference for the review are broad and far reaching. They include ensuring that the family law system priorities the best interests of children; addresses family violence and child abuse; and supports families, including those with complex needs, to resolve their family law issues quickly and safely while minimising financial burden. For more information about this review see www.alrc.gov.au/inquiries/family-law-system.
Assistance and interviews
In your email you referred to some specific cases that have been considered by the courts. It would not be appropriate for the Attorney-General and the Attorney-General’s Department to comment on, or intervene in, the handling of these cases by the family law courts. This is because under the Australian system of government, our courts are independent and free of interference from the executive arm of government. Unfortunately, I must also advise you that the Attorney-General’s Office has declined your request for a video interview with the Attorney-General.
Government responsibilities
Under Australia’s federal system of government, the criminal aspects of family violence and child abuse are primarily the responsibility of state and territory governments, with such matters being heard by state and territory courts. Likewise, the investigation of allegations or disclosures of child abuse are the responsibility of state and territory police and child protection authorities. The family law courts do not have the capability to independently investigate allegations of child abuse and are therefore largely reliant on the information admitted into evidence by the parties and information about any investigations carried out by police or child protection agencies.
The Australian Government acknowledges that this separation of the federal family law system from state and territory family violence and child protection systems can place families and children at increased risk of harm. For this reason, the Council of Attorneys-General established a Family Violence Working Group of senior justice officials, formed in May 2017, to work on measures to improve the interaction and sharing of information between the family law, child protection and family violence systems.
Parental Alienation Syndrome
In your email you raised the concerns of parents about the Family Courts’ ongoing use of the discredited concept of Parental Alienation Syndrome. In all parenting disputes before the Family Court of Australia and the Federal Circuit Court of Australia, the best interest of the child is the paramount consideration (section 60CA of the Family Law Act 1975). The court also recognises the right of a child to have a meaningful relationship with both parents, but will prioritise the need to protect the child from harm. There are a range of considerations that the court may have regard to in determining what is in the child’s best interests.
The family law courts do not accept ‘Parental Alienation Syndrome’ as a valid condition that can be suffered by a child. The courts may however, take into account circumstances where one parent deliberately undermines the relationship between a child and the other parent, causing the breakdown of a previously healthy parent-child relationship.
Help line services
You suggested that a help line be set up to assist parents and children that have been victims of abuse. You may be interested to know that the Australian Government funds 1800RESPECT, the National Sexual Assault, Family and Domestic Violence Counselling Service. This service provides support to people who are experiencing or are at risk of sexual assault, family and/or domestic violence or who have experienced this in the past. The service offers online and telephone counselling, information and referral service available nationwide, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. For more information see www.1800RESPECT.org.au
The Government also funds the Family Relationship Advice Line, a national telephone service that assist families affected by relationship or separation issues, providing information and referrals to services. For more information see www.familyrelationships.gov.au
Thank you for bringing your concerns to the Government’s attention. I hope this information is of some assistance to you.
Yours sincerely
Adam Brooker A/g Director
Family Safety Branch
Dee McLachlan for Attorney General
At least she can count to ten and recite the whole alphabet.
Dee, what is that weird thing at the top of “your” office building (in the photo) — Is it supposed to be solar panels?
The Imperialists government have no choice other than to keep corruption as a imperative part of the system, paedophilia and the destruction of the human race is the only way the elite know as a plan for there survival as they know it, this plan is also all part of the masses who cooperate with the elite, all you can do as a individual is face your own extinction with courage and whether you goout of this lifescreaming for justice or go with a whimper? the Universe cares not, you are here to be tortured.
I quote a little from The Beginning and the End of T.S. Elliots The Hollow Men. Alpha Omega
“We are the hollow men
We are the stuffed men
Leaning together
Headpiece filled with straw. Alas!
Our dried voices, when
We whisper together
Are quiet and meaningless
As wind in dry grass
Or rats’ feet over broken glass
In our dry cellar
Between the conception
And the creation
Between the emotion
And the response”
“Between the desire
And the spasm
Between the potency
And the existence
Between the essence
And the descent
Falls the Shadow
For Thine is the Kingdom
For Thine is
Life is
For Thine is the
This is the way the world ends
This is the way the world ends
This is the way the world ends
Not with a bang but a whimper”
EXACT SAME MESSAGE recd this week – went personally to MP this week re these child protection concerns particularly specific CONCERNS RE Dept of Child Protection – Govt dept – Clearly stating very serious and indisputably on the record legitimate concerns where several children currently in danger.
– experienced same stupid rhetoric along with distinctly glib face to face dismissiveness. All orgs i have approached are distinctly dismissive – and these include child protection party- EXTREMELY creepy -and formal volunteer orgs publicly funded to support victims and families etc – all highly questionable and well seasoned with glibness. Very weird exclusiveness /exclusivity -invincibility vibe.
we however persist and continue to engage. thanks for all you are doing to shine a light and give voice to those who the system actively silences.Thank you gumshoe
Respect phone lines are also staffed with sometimes very strange ‘counsellors’..
Hotart, I am with you this far:
“The Imperialists government have no choice other than to keep corruption as a imperative part of the system, paedophilia and the destruction of the human race is the only way the elite know as a plan for there survival as they know it.”
But we, who are not in such a desperate position as they, can use the old collective medulla oblongata to think up some alternatives for them.
“Outreach” I call it.
wikipedia “The medulla oblongata (or medulla) is located in the brainstem, anterior and partially inferior to the cerebellum.It is a cone-shaped neuronal mass responsible for autonomic (involuntary) functions ranging from vomiting to sneezing.”
do we now brainstorm ??
Yes, I did mean brainstorm. Forgive me for choosing the part of that brain. I was thinking of an old Monty Python satire about “the ever-popular medulla oblongata.”
By brainstorm, I mean anybody out there who can try to combat, instead of accept, the apparent “destruction of the human race.”
If this means cozying up to crims that is OK with me. But please don’t listen to me. I have repeated my story many times. Try a new way.
“because under the Australian system of government, our courts are independent and free of interference from the executive arm of government”
Yeah, and Santa Claus is real also. I love mythology, like the Greeks and all their Gods or various religions and their stories. Of course, there are always a small part of the population that thinks it’s all bullshit.
Did you mis-copy that, Terry? I thought it said:
“our courts are dependent and open to free interference from the executive arm of world government.”
Full translation here. The end is unbearably funny:
.
To Dot, regarding the glib, dismissive people. I am no expert but it makes me wonder if they got trained under hypnosis to do that.
I can only offer one personal experience. The Old Guard at Gumshoe already heard this story. In 2006 I ran for Congress. As a candidate I was invited to go for “training.” I declined. Two female friends of mine accepted the offer.
The next time I saw them they had a new gait. It was startling. You can’t consciously change your walk. So how were they able to do it? My guess: hypnosis. (Geez, I wonder what else they were hypnotised to do if they won the election. But they didn’t win.)
By the way, I often run into low-key dismissiveness and of course I generally cave in. But recently I pushed, in a friendly — vaguely haughty — way, in a a bank, and I got what I wanted.
The Old Guard also heard the following, dated around June 2018. I had an Optus phone. I went in to the shop and asked them to unlock it. They said (as if it were God’s truth) “We can’t unlock it today, it takes 24 hours.”
I said You will have to do it today. “No, we can’t.” “OK, please lend me your phone for a minute so I can call the police.”
Then they cooperated. So I know they told their employees to TRY the “We can’t help” routine. Their object was to make me not want to bother again the next day, and stay with them as a customer.
Or possibly their company policy is simply harassment, gas-lighting, try to break the spirit of every man, woman, and child.
All I can say is that it’s essential not to crack under gas-lighting. Here is a possible ploy when they glibbies say “No way.” You smile and say, “Let’s sit down and discuss this for a few minutes.”
Then chat to them in a confidential, almost pandering tone. “How do you think this policy came about?” “Have you had a lot of resistance to it?” (still smiling). Always ASK A QUESTION that they will have to answer.
Try “I don’t feel like a victim. I’m worried maybe you guys are the victims… Is there anything I could do to help you?”
You Glueshoe types seem entirely preoccupied with posturing and chest-beating… all for show. I have already submitted to McLachlan an open letter of protest to Christian Porter concerning his direct responsibility (as Attorney General of W.A. ) in which he oversaw a blatant miscarriage of justice in the case of Brendan O’Connell which received no reply other than the standard “thank you… blah blah… your opinions are important… blah blah”.
Perhaps McLachlan has more clout from a politically correct point of view to have, at least, received a multi-paragraph evasion.
Anyhow, I think we need to stop referring to these political toads as “honourable” or “right honourable” because they are entirely dishonourable abject slaves of a perverse agenda. Y’ can’t eliminate them unless the well-under-control “selection process” is bypassed. We need an “Australian Patriot’s Cooperative” that is wholly owned and operated and protected by the ordinary people.
Just thought I’d re-quote, fom the above letter, in the paragraph marked “Government Responsibilities” —
“the investigation of allegations or disclosures of child abuse are the responsibility of state and territory police and child protection authorities”
Ding!
Oh wow so The Attorney General’s office is a waste of space.
The Judges are God’s
And Christian Porter does not give a shit about children.
Devestated. Well they admitted the courts arnt capable of intervening. Should i show this to chold safety and police who keep pushing us away and police calling kids a aliar and child safety saying go back to family court. These ARE OUR KIDS. I need this to change. WE ALL DO I AM DESPERATE!!!
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