Happy Mother’s Day!

To all Mums I hope that you are spending time today with your kids. There is nothing quite like waking up to burnt toast, cold tea and even colder eggs, but shared with a dose of love that makes it all worthwhile. For many mums, there are fights with their ex’es. Sometimes, sadly, this means… Read More »Custom Single Post Header

Family Law Section Law Council of Australia Award
Member of Queensland law society
Family law Practitioners Association
International Academy of Family Lawyers - IAFL
Mediator Standards Board

Happy Mother’s Day!

To all Mums I hope that you are spending time today with your kids. There is nothing quite like waking up to burnt toast, cold tea and even colder eggs, but shared with a dose of love that makes it all worthwhile.

For many mums, there are fights with their ex’es. Sometimes, sadly, this means that on one of those days when happiness abounds, these women are separated from their children and know true loneliness.

If the matters end up at court, the courts are keen to make sure that children spend their time on Mother’s Day with their mums. As I heard earlier this week, time spent by mothers with their kids on Mother’s Day is “sacrosanct”.

The ways this can happen are many but include:
– making a specific order for Mother’s Day eg children be with Mum from 9am-5pm that day (or 9am that day to before school the following day);
-making an order that the children are with Mum that weekend, even if it means the weekends are swapped around it
– if Mum lives a long way away from the children, at least being able to speak to them by phone (preferably with the children to phone her), email or videolink or Skype.

If you are a Mum who does not see your children today and you don’t have emotional support, make sure you have family or friends around. If you are truly alone today, of all days, if you are feeling down and need someone to talk to, call Lifeline Counselling on 13 1114.

Things to Read, Watch & Listen

Forced Marriage

On November 1st 2023, Accredited Family Law Specialist and Page Provan Director Stephen Page presented a paper at the Brisbane Zonta Club about forced marriage. I acknowledge the Jagera and Turrbal peoples, on whose lands we meet today, their elders, past, present and emerging. Ruqia Hidari was aged 21 and living in Victoria, when, according to police,… Read More »Forced Marriage

ACT Government Surrogacy Bill

The ACT Government has today introduced a bill to amend the ACT’s surrogacy laws. The proposed changes are more incremental than fundamental. They include allowing a single person to undertake surrogacy, for the surrogate to be single if needed, a requirement for legal advice and counselling beforehand, a written agreement being required, that traditional surrogacy is… Read More »ACT Government Surrogacy Bill

Planning to resolve: ADR in ART

ADR can help resolve disputes in ART cases. ADR is not limited to mediation and arbitration. Other types of informal dispute resolution can resolve disputes. When assisted reproductive treatment cases go off the rails, they can have the next level of bitterness and volatility. There can be a keen sense of betrayal when things don’t… Read More »Planning to resolve: ADR in ART