National FVPLS Forum Submission to ALRC Family Law Review Issues Paper – May 2018

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and children experiencing family violence face a range of unique, complex and compounding barriers to accessing support and justice through the family law system. This submission makes forty recommendations that aim towards creating a more culturally safe, trauma informed and family violence sensitive family law system. Key recommendations include employing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Family Consultants and Liaison Officers within family law courts, establishing a specialist Indigenous court list or hearing process, and ensuring culturally safe and specialised legal representation and support, such as that provided by Djirra, for all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander victim/survivors of family violence engaged with the family law system, including family dispute resolution.

 

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