Queensland One Nation leader Steve Dickson MP said today one of the major issues which needs urgent action by Government is Domestic Violence, in all its forms.
He said in recent years there have been many reviews of legislation by both Federal and State Governments around the issues of domestic violence, family law and social policy following marriage breakdown.
One Nation believes domestic violence policy should put more focus on the children impacted by marriage breakdown. The resulting separation of parents should not unduly cause restriction of access to children for one parent.
One Nation will introduce the following amendments to legislation:
- Ensure protection orders are applied so as not to unnecessarily restrict parental access to children.
- Protection order hearings should require both parents to be present in court at the same time, so that allegations against either can be challenged prior to orders being imposed.
- In the same sense, the ability to consent without admission when children are involved should be deleted to ensure that allegations are based on evidence. If violence has occurred then the perpetrator should be penalised.
- The preamble to the Domestic Violence Act must be amended to make it gender neutral, the job of government is to protect all victims of family and domestic violence regardless of their age, gender or sexuality and the preamble to the Act must reflect this.
Mr Dickson said, “The One Nation candidate for Glass House Tracey Bell-Henselin has an extensive background in child protection working in family services. Tracey holds a Bachelor Degree in Law and Justice and most importantly has a long history of supporting parents as they deal with family court. She is strong family advocate and due to her experience, has been appointed as the One Nation spokesperson for policies relating to domestic violence and child welfare.
Mrs Bell-Henselin said, “Clearly, what is beyond doubt is that violence against any person should not be tolerated, but I believe the legislation needs amending to reflect community values and expectations.
“What appears to have escaped the attention of politicians and bureaucrats is the impact on parents of being separated from their children because of court procedures and the human impacts of the breakdown of the family unit.
“One astonishing and little unacknowledged impact has been an increase in male suicide, with estimates as high as 21 suicides per week because of the family breakdown nationally.
“I am a very strong advocate for woman’s rights and I acknowledge that the current Queensland domestic violence policy provides poor support for male victims of domestic violence and family breakdowns and urgently needs changing. We believe that families need to stay connected wherever possible for the ongoing health of children and parents,” she said.
2 comments
Tiwonge Ndlovu
Its very unfortunate that the law and organisations that protect women are abused by some women to victimise men. There is no scrutiny on what the woman says and men are treated as guilty from the word go. Men have no where to go when they are victims of domestic violence and their claims are either not taken seriously or proof is required.
Why do men automatically lose their rights as far as childern are concerned and have to pay through their nose to be heard in the courts. Men might be the minority but what happened to caring about the minority? Why can’t the minority have the same rights?
Dan
I went through a marriage breakup that involved DV on the part of my wife. What I found was an extremely biased legal system that is strongly in favor of women. Nobody can possibly understand the anguish and suffering that you go through when you are separated from your children when you are not the guilty party.
Unfortunately what we have now are a bunch of activists who have been successful in swaying the media to suit their own purposes, and that at it’s roots is to remove all men’s rights in regards to accessing their own children whether they are guilty or not.
We need to have a fair and balanced legal system, and I hope these changes will help in clawing back basic human rights for all parties involved.
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