Child abuse Supportive Laws

69ZK  Child welfare laws not affected

             (1)  A court having jurisdiction under this Act must not make an order under this Act (other than an order under Division 7) in relation to a child who is under the care (however described) of a person under a child welfare law unless:

                     (a)  the order is expressed to come into effect when the child ceases to be under that care; or

                     (b)  the order is made in proceedings relating to the child in respect of the institution or continuation of which the written consent of a child welfare officer of the relevant State or Territory has been obtained.

             (2)  Nothing in this Act, and no decree under this Act, affects:

                     (a)  the jurisdiction of a court, or the power of an authority, under a child welfare law to make an order, or to take any other action, by which a child is placed under the care (however described) of a person under a child welfare law; or

                     (b)  any such order made or action taken; or

                     (c)  the operation of a child welfare law in relation to a child.

             (3)  If it appears to a court having jurisdiction under this Act that another court or an authority proposes to make an order, or to take any other action, of the kind referred to in paragraph (2)(a) in relation to a child, the first‑mentioned court may adjourn any proceedings before it that relate to the child.

102A  Restrictions on examination of children

             (1)  Subject to this section, where a child is examined without the leave of the court, the evidence resulting from the examination which relates to the abuse of, or the risk of abuse of, the child is not admissible in proceedings under this Act.

             (2)  Where a person causes a child to be examined for the purpose of deciding:

                     (a)  to bring proceedings under this Act involving an allegation that the child has been abused or is at risk of being abused; or

                     (b)  to make an allegation in proceedings under this Act that the child has been abused or is at risk of being abused;

subsection (1) does not apply in relation to evidence resulting from the first examination which the person caused the child to undergo.

             (3)  In considering whether to give leave for a child to be examined, the court must have regard to the following matters:

                     (a)  whether the proposed examination is likely to provide relevant information that is unlikely to be obtained otherwise;

                     (b)  the qualifications of the person who proposes to conduct the examination to conduct that examination;

                     (c)  whether any distress likely to be caused to the child by the examination will be outweighed by the value of the information that might be obtained from the examination;

The "distress" of seeing a doctor seems to prioritize above the trauma and damage of child abuse.


                     (d)  any distress already caused to the child by any previous examination associated with the proceedings or with related proceedings;

                     (e)  any other matter that the court thinks is relevant.

             (4)  In proceedings under this Act, a court may admit evidence which is otherwise inadmissible under this section where it is satisfied that:

                     (a)  the evidence relates to relevant matters on which the evidence already before the court is inadequate; and

                     (b)  the court will not be able to determine the proceedings properly unless the evidence is admitted; and

                     (c)  the welfare of the child concerned is likely to be served by the admission of the evidence.

             (5)  In this section:

examined, in relation to a child, means:

                     (a)  subjected to a medical procedure; or

                     (b)  examined or assessed by a psychiatrist or psychologist (other than by a family counsellor or family consultant).

Note:          Section 69ZV is relevant to evidence of a representation by a child, if the admissibility of the evidence would otherwise be affected by the law against hearsay.

70NEB  Powers of court

             (1)  If this Subdivision applies, the court may do any or all of the following:

                     (a)  make an order directing:

                              (i)  the person who committed the current contravention; or

                             (ii)  that person and another specified person;

                            to attend a post‑separation parenting program;

                     (b)  if the current contravention is a contravention of a parenting order in relation to a child—make a further parenting order that compensates a person for time the person did not spend with the child (or time the child did not live with the person) as a result of the current contravention;

                     (c)  adjourn the proceedings to allow either or both of the parties to the primary order to apply for a further parenting order under Division 6 of Part VII that discharges, varies or suspends the primary order or revives some or all of an earlier parenting order;

                     (d)  make an order requiring the person who committed the current contravention to enter into a bond in accordance with section 70NEC;

                     (e)  if:

                              (i)  the current contravention is a contravention of a parenting order in relation to a child; and

                             (ii)  the current contravention resulted in a person not spending time with the child (or the child not living with a person for a particular period); and

                            (iii)  the person referred to in subparagraph (ii) reasonably incurs expenses as a result of the contravention;

                            make an order requiring the person who committed the current contravention to compensate the person referred to in subparagraph (ii) for some or all of the expenses referred to in subparagraph (iii);

                      (f)  make an order that the person who committed the current contravention pay some or all of the costs of another party, or other parties, to the proceedings under this Division; and

                     (g)  if the court makes no other orders in relation to the current contravention—order that the person who brought the proceedings in relation to the current contravention pay some or all of the costs of the person who committed the current contravention.

Note 1:       The court may also vary the primary order under Subdivision B.

Note 2:       Paragraph (1)(a)—before making an order under this paragraph, the court must consider seeking the advice of a family consultant about the services appropriate to the person’s needs (see section 11E).


112AB  Meaning of contravene an order

             (1)  A person shall be taken for the purposes of this Part to have contravened an order under this Act if, and only if:

                     (a)  where the person is bound by the order—he or she has:

                              (i)  intentionally failed to comply with the order; or

                             (ii)  made no reasonable attempt to comply with the order; or

                     (b)  in any other case—he or she has:

                              (i)  intentionally prevented compliance with the order by a person who is bound by it; or

                             (ii)  aided or abetted a contravention of the order by a person who is bound by it.

112AC  Meaning of reasonable excuse for contravening an order

             (1)  The circumstances in which a person may be taken to have had, for the purposes of this Part, a reasonable excuse for contravening an order under this Act include, but are not limited to, the circumstances set out in subsection (2).

             (2)  A person (in this subsection called the respondent) shall be taken to have had a reasonable excuse for contravening an order under this Act if:

                     (a)  the respondent contravened the order because, or substantially because, he or she did not, at the time of the contravention, understand the obligations imposed by the order on the person who was bound by it; and

                     (b)  the court is satisfied that the respondent ought to be excused in respect of the contravention.

70NFG  Sentences of imprisonment

             (1)  A sentence of imprisonment imposed on a person under paragraph 70NFB(2)(e) is to be expressed to be:

                     (a)  for a specified period of 12 months or less; or

                     (b)  for a period ending when the person:

                              (i)  complies with the order concerned; or

                             (ii)  has been imprisoned under the sentence for 12 months or such lesser period as is specified by the court;

                            whichever happens first.

             (2)  A court must not sentence a person to imprisonment under paragraph 70NFB(2)(e) unless the court is satisfied that, in all the circumstances of the case, it would not be appropriate for the court to deal with the contravention under any of the other paragraphs of subsection 70NFB(2).

             (3)  If a court sentences a person to imprisonment under paragraph 70NFB(2)(e), the court must:

                     (a)  state the reasons why it is satisfied as mentioned in subsection (2); and

                     (b)  cause those reasons to be entered in the records of the court.

             (4)  The failure of a court to comply with subsection (3) does not invalidate a sentence.

             (5)  A court that sentences a person to imprisonment under paragraph 70NFB(2)(e) may:

                     (a)  suspend the sentence upon the terms and conditions determined by the court; and

                     (b)  terminate a suspension made under paragraph (a).

             (6)  A court, when sentencing a person to imprisonment under paragraph 70NFB(2)(e), may, if it considers it appropriate to do so, direct that the person be released upon the person entering into a bond described in subsection (7) after he or she has served a specified part of the term of imprisonment.

             (7)  A bond for the purposes of subsection (6) is a bond (with or without surety or security) that the person will be of good behaviour for a specified period of up to 2 years.

             (8)  A court that has sentenced a person to imprisonment for a period expressed as provided by paragraph (1)(b) may order the release of the person if it is satisfied that the person will, if he or she is released, comply with the order concerned.

             (9)  To avoid doubt, the serving by a person of a period of imprisonment under a sentence imposed on the person under paragraph 70NFB(2)(e) for failure to make a payment under a child maintenance order does not affect the person’s liability to make the payment


No comments:

Has the Family Court Ignored

After the Family Court Battle, has the Father missed visitation for

Banners

Anonymums Blog Button

Get this button and link us to your blog, website or myspace page:

Step One
Copy(Ctrl +C) the following code :
Step Two
Paste(Ctrl+V) it onto your blog, website or myspace page.

I Support Anonymums Banner

Show your support on your blog, website or myspace page:

Step One
Copy(Ctrl +C) the following code :
Step Two
Paste(Ctrl+V) it onto your blog, website or myspace page.

Anonymums Family Violence Fact Sheet

Anonymums Family Violence Fact Sheet
Free Fact Sheet on Family Violence and Family Court

Should the Family Court have a Protective Parent BIll?

Breaking the Silence

Battered Mothers Custody Conference interviews

Bookmark and Share