Learn from the mistakes of others

By Stephanie Peatling
January 9, 2006

MARRIED couples thinking of divorce or separation will be encouraged to sit through a series of lectures - including advice on child rearing and seeking help from family members - according to new details of the Federal Government's family relationship centres.

The 65 centres across the country will enforce rules that compel couples to attend three-hour counselling sessions before seeking to end their relationship in the Family Court system.

The revelation - in pre-tender documents for the centres obtained by the Herald - follows backbench concerns that the centres should focus on keeping families together rather than smooth the way towards separation.

It also comes as the Prime Minister, John Howard, began the year by encouraging people to attend pre-marriage counselling.

The overhauled Family Law Act says couples must attend a free, three-hour counselling session at one of the 65 centres before going to court. The courses that will supplement those sessions will include:

• Relationship counselling;


• Dealing with other government agencies such as Centrelink or the Child Support Agency;


• Help for other family members; and support for others involved such as teachers and medical practitioners; and


• Classes on child rearing.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics estimates that about 32 per cent of marriages end in divorce. In an attempt to lower that figure, staff at the centres will be specifically instructed "not to assume that clients with relationship difficulties or going through separation will inevitably separate", departmental papers outlining the direction of the centres say.

"If centres believe parents considering separation can resolve their difficulties and stay together, they should refer the parents to services that will help them to do so."

An information paper on the centres was prepared by the Attorney-General's Department last year but was quietly rewritten and released the week before Christmas, just before tenders for the first 15 centres closed.

Frank Quinlan, executive director of Catholic Welfare Australia, said community and church organisations were aware of the growing role of the Family Relationship Centres.

"It is not necessarily a bad thing provided we can be sure people are not exposed to services that are less than professional," Mr Quinlan said.

Family Services Australia, a group representing 87 community organisations, has been lobbying the Federal Government to ensure staff at the new centres have the necessary professional qualifications for dealing with people who have experienced domestic violence.

Although many community and church-based organisations have applied for the $400 million the Government has allocated to the new centres, they are concerned they may be edged out by private, profit-based organisations.

The centres will be run along the same lines as the Job Network system, which is operated by a mixture of corporate and community- or church-based organisations.

Those running the centres will be able to outsource some of the services they are required to provide, and funding will be based on the number of people who use the centres, which services they use and the longevity of parenting agreements following separation.

HELP AT HAND

The first 15 family relationship centres will be at:

NSW Penrith, Lismore, Sutherland, Wollongong
VIC Mildura, Sunshine, Frankston, Ringwood
QLD Strathpine, Townsville
WA Joondalup
SA Salisbury
TAS Hobart
NT Darwin
ACT Canberra

In 2007 and 2008 centres will be established in: Sydney city, North Ryde, Parramatta, Bankstown, Campbelltown, Blacktown, Brookvale, Fairfield, Nowra, Newcastle, Wagga Wagga, Bathurst, Dubbo, Tamworth, Coffs Harbour, Gosford and Taree.