Sally Steele- Essie Women's Refuge

Barbara Kilpatrick - Manly Warringa Women's Resource Centre

1. The local courts will undoubtably be reluctant to give children AVO protection or include them on their mothers AVO if the Family Court is going to be compelled to look at Joint Residency ( It is difficult enough now to get children AVO protection). - Safety
2. There will be more people going through the Family Courts if only to reject the idea of Joint Residency - Costs
3. Child Support payments and Centrelink payments will be effected if it is a 50/50% Residency order. Most women will find themselves in a greater poverty trap than they experience at this time causing some to become homeless due to inability to pay rent. - Economic deprivation
4. There will be a proportion of women experiencing domestic violence who will not leave a violent partner due to the hardship it may cause or for fears for children's safety - Safety - Economic
5. More women are likely to need to seek hospital and medical assistance - drag on the tax payer and risk of serious injury Safety and cost to tax payer
6. Does 50/50% mean that children will need to adjust to two homes? Will this suit all families? - Emotional and Social issues
7. The issue of proof required to overrule the Joint Custody is a burden when there are increasing numbers of women being forced to represent themselves in Family Court Issues. - Inequity at law.
8. It is an unnecessary amendment as the existing law allows for shared parenting where couple desire it.
9. It will effect thousands of men who agree to contact rights as a preference to joint custody - these men will have to show why they are not willing to accept the joint custody adding to courts work load and the expenses on families.