Greater Melbourne Network Bulletin
- vicflpn
- 2 days ago
- 13 min read
The Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Division 2) (General Federal Law) Rules 2025 (New GFL Rules) have been made by the Court, and will commence on 1 September 2025.The New GFL Rules have been approved by a majority of Judges and will replace the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Division 2) (General Federal Law) Rules 2021 (GFL Rules 2021).To assist the public and the profession to become familiar with the New GFL Rules, they have been registered early on the Federal Register of Legislation, and are available here: Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Division 2) (General Federal Law) Rules 2025 - Federal Register of Legislation
Over the past two years, a Working Group chaired by her Honour Deputy Chief Judge Mercuri, and comprised of four senior general federal law judges and a retired judge, along with senior staff, reviewed and redrafted the rules of court that apply in the court's general federal law and migration jurisdictions. The Working Group was also assisted by three members of Counsel during the process. The Working Group undertook extensive internal judicial consultation and external consultation with relevant stakeholders when drafting the New GFL Rules.
The New GFL Rules broadly align with the Federal Court Rules 2011 (FCA Rules) where appropriate, but have been altered to take into account:
the different jurisdiction of the two courts;
the promotion of the overarching purpose of the FCFCOA Act; and
the Court as a high-volume jurisdiction with large numbers of unrepresented parties.
The advantages of a set of rules that align, where appropriate, with the FCA Rules are:
greater consistency for practitioners and registrars across the two courts; and
greater jurisprudential certainty when procedural matters are resolved in court.
To achieve consistency and greater jurisprudential certainty each part of the New GFL Rules were compared with their equivalent in the FCA Rules. The suitability of each FCA Rule to proceedings in the Court was examined to determine whether the FCA version of the given rule should be adopted, or whether a different rule or different form of rule would be more appropriate.
The Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability (Disability Royal Commission) made 222 recommendations to government in its Final Report. Some of these recommendations included changes to the Disability Discrimination Act.
On 31 July 2024, the Australian Government published its response to these recommendations. This included accepting, in principle, the 15 recommendations related to the Disability Discrimination Act.
As part of the government response to the Disability Royal Commission, the government committed $6.9 million to the review and modernisation of the Disability Discrimination Act.
The government has asked us to lead this review. The review will consider options to implement the 15 recommendations from the Disability Royal Commission, as well as further changes to improve the experiences of people with disability.
The disability community has contributed to many reviews and inquiries over the 3 decades that the Disability Discrimination Act has been in force, including the Disability Royal Commission. This review will draw on the reports and submissions from these reviews and inquiries so that people with disability do not need to advocate again about the same issues and experiences.In late 2024, we met with representatives of the disability community and legal representatives to inform our approach to the review.ConsultationPublic consultation on the review is now open. There are 2 ways to share your views:
Make a submission in response to the questions in our Issues Paper. You can make a submission as an individual or on behalf of an organisation.
Complete the shorter community survey. This survey has a shorter set of questions for people in the community who do not want to respond to the questions in the Issues Paper but would still like to contribute to the review.
Consultation is open until 24 October 2025.
The government invites the following groups to share their views on this important area for reform:
people with disability
families, carers and kin
advocates
service providers
employers
unions
small business
legal professionals
education providers
academia
the broader community.
This consultation process is the first stage of public engagement. There will be further opportunities to participate.
Our Watch, the national organisation for the prevention of violence against women, has announced the creation of a new Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander directorate.
Chief Executive Patty Kinnersly said it recognises the importance of the work needed to tackle the disproportionately high rates of violence against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women.
“Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women are 11 times more likely to die due to assault than non-Indigenous women, and experience violence at 3.1 times the rate of non-Indigenous women.
“These higher rates of violence are driven by the combined impact of racism, colonisation and gender inequality. For too long, systems and structures have shut Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities out, and it’s crucial these voices are centred.
If you or someone you know is experiencing or at risk of domestic, family or sexual violence please call: 1800RESPECT for national domestic, family, and sexual violence counselling, information and support service. If you or someone you know is experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, domestic, family or sexual violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732, chat online via www.1800RESPECT.org.au, or text 0458 737 732. Men’s Referral Service: 1300 766 491.
The Albanese Government is improving access to justice for vulnerable Australians by awarding $67.5 million over 5 years to 14 grant recipients under the Community Legal Services Program 2025-2030 grant opportunity.
The funding will support essential legal services to keep the justice system within reach for people facing disadvantage, including by providing timely and appropriate legal assistance to women, children and young people, people experiencing family and gender-based violence, those representing themselves in court and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
This includes offering culturally appropriate support, outreach services in remote areas and community training and education on legal rights and issues. The funding will also contribute to the outcomes and priority reforms of the National Agreement on Closing the Gap.
The Program complements the Albanese Government’s broader $3.9 billion investment over five years through the National Access to Justice Partnership 2025–2030, which supports state and territory delivery of legal assistance services to the community.
Funding will be provided to a number of national legal assistance peaks to support their members to deliver legal assistance services across Australia:
Aboriginal Legal Service (NSW/ACT) Limited on behalf of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services
First Nations Advocates Against Family Violence Limited
National Association of Community Legal Centres Ltd
Women’s Legal Service Victoria on behalf of Women’s Legal Services Australia
It will also continue a number of national services:
Arts Law Centre of Australia - Artists in the Black
Australian Pro Bono Centre
Financial Rights Legal Centre - Insurance Law Service
With You Training - Legal Aid Commission of New South Wales
amica online dispute resolution tool - Legal Services Commission of South Australia
National Children’s and Youth Law Centre
The program will also fund a number of self-representation services which provide legal support to unrepresented individuals in the justice system:
Justice Connect - NSW, Vic, ACT and Tas
Justicenet SA Incorporated - SA and NT
LawRight - Qld
Legal Aid Commission of Western Australia - WA
For more information about the grant opportunity, visit GrantConnect.
Although many transgender and gender diverse young people live lives with joy, creativity, community connection and resilience (Hill et al., 2021), they may also experience challenges that prevent them from achieving good health and wellbeing. Challenges can include stigma and discrimination from other people and institutions.
This, in turn, may contribute to mental health challenges or potentially harmful behaviours, such as substance use, being used to deal with stress (Frost & Meyer, 2023; Tebbe & Budge, 2022). Compared to cisgendered young people, transgender and gender diverse young people are more likely to report high or very high levels of psychological distress, thoughts and behaviours of self-harm, and suicidal thoughts or planning (Bailey et al., 2024).
Parents and carers can be a fundamental source of support for their transgender and gender diverse child, with parental acceptance, in particular, being associated with better health and wellbeing outcomes (Brown et al., 2020). Parents’ acceptance of their transgender or gender diverse child – and their ability to provide support – can be influenced by a range of factors. These include parents’ level of awareness about gender identity, their access to information about transgender and gender diverse experiences, the quality of the parent–child relationship and peer support for parents (Morgan et al., 2022). Parents also have a large influence on a young person’s ability to access services and the type of care they receive (Riggs et al., 2020).
The evidence in this article focuses on parents who are supportive of their transgender and gender diverse child. It does not cover circumstances where there is conflict between parents and the child due to their gender identity.
The benefits of supporting parents for the health and wellbeing of transgender and gender diverse young people
Understanding and appropriately responding to the needs of parents of transgender and gender diverse young people can benefit both parents and young people.
Parents play a key protective role in reducing some of the health and wellbeing challenges commonly experienced by transgender and gender diverse young people. A review by Brown and colleagues (2020) examined the association between family relationships and the health and wellbeing of these young people. They found that those with parents who are supportive (both generally as well as specifically about gender identity), warm and caring, and who they can communicate with directly and honestly had better health and wellbeing (Brown et al., 2020).
The health improvements for transgender and gender diverse young people associated with supportive parents included (Brown et al., 2020):
reduced anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, disordered eating symptoms, self-harm and suicidal ideation
greater quality of life, life satisfaction and self-esteem
reduced risk of homelessness
improved sexual self-efficacy and consistent condom use
reduced risk of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
However, for parents to provide this support to transgender or gender diverse young people, they themselves may also need assistance and support (Riggs et al., 2020). Although many parents report that raising a child who is transgender or gender diverse can lead to personal growth and emotional connection, they may also face new challenges in adapting their parenting approach to meet their child’s changing needs (Chaplyn et al., 2024; Hynes Brothers, 2025; Morgan et al., 2022).
The Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare – Victoria’s peak body for child and family services – welcomes the release of the Rapid Child Safety Review and the Victorian Government’s commitment to urgently implement its 22 recommendations.
CEO Deb Tsorbaris says the review is an important step towards deep, lasting reform that puts children’s safety, rights, and best interests at the centre of every decision.
“This has been an incredibly distressing time, and my heart goes out to those families and to everyone in the communities impacted by recent allegations of sexual offences in childcare centres,” she said.
“Families across Victoria place enormous trust in early childhood education and care during the most critical years of a child’s development,” Ms Tsorbaris says.
“That trust must be backed by robust systems, strong safeguards, and a culture where child safety is non-negotiable.”
The Centre welcomes the Victorian Government’s $42 million boost to the sector and commitment to ensure legislation implementing the Review recommendations is introduced and passed next week.
“The Australian Child Maltreatment Study has shown us the prevalence and lifelong impacts of abuse,” Ms Tsorbaris says.
“We must act now to ensure every child is safe, seen, and supported.”
The Victorian Government has committed to immediate action on 12 of the Review’s recommendations and will take the remaining recommendations to the Commonwealth Government for action.
Ms Tsorbaris says the first three recommendations require national leadership and a significant shift in focus toward placing children’s safety, rights and wellbeing at the Centre of policy and services.
“This requires accountability and commitment across governments. The proposed Early Childhood Reform Commission is a first step to ensure change is delivered now, but we need ongoing accountability and a seat at the table for all decisions that might impact children and young people,” she says.
“The Centre will keep pressing for a dedicated Commonwealth Minister for Children to take full responsibility for child safety and ensure that vital recommendations lead to real action—not gather dust.”
The Victorian reforms include:
Establishing a new Early Childhood Education and Care Regulator by the end of the year, assuming responsibility for the Early Childhood Workforce Register introduced in July.
Bringing the Working with Children Check (WWCC), the Reportable Conduct scheme and the general education and guidance function for the Child Safe Standards into the Social Services Regulator.
Give greater powers to the WWCC scheme so they can immediately suspend clearances while investigations take place.
Allowing the Regulator to consider unsubstantiated allegations and intelligence and decide whether to grant, suspend or cancel a WWCC clearance.
Reform the Reportable Conduct Scheme so that information relevant to child-safety risk, whether substantiated or not, is proactively and consistently shared with relevant regulators and agencies.
Parental incarceration can negatively impact children’s mental health, wellbeing and education. To address these impacts, it is important to provide programs and supports that cater to the specific needs of children whose parents are or have been incarcerated.
Parental incarceration refers to any kind of custodial confinement of a parent by the criminal justice system (i.e. sentenced to a period of detention or held on remand awaiting their trial), except being held overnight in police cells (Murray et al., 2012).
On 30 September 2024, there were 44,316 adults incarcerated in prisons in Australia (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2024). There is no official count of the number of Australian children with parents who are incarcerated. However, two in five prison entrants have reported they had children in the community who depended on them for their basic needs (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2023).
Parental incarceration is considered an adverse childhood experience (ACE) that can have negative and ongoing impacts on children’s mental health and wellbeing (Legislative Council Legal and Social Issues Committee, 2022; Skinner-Osei & Levenson, 2018). It is therefore important to ensure that children experiencing parental incarceration have access to evidence-based support programs. These programs can generate positive mental health, wellbeing and social outcomes by strengthening family relationships, developing resilience in children and minimising the risk of harm (Norman & Enebrink, 2023; Saunders, 2017).
This resource provides an overview of the research evidence on various program types for children of incarcerated parents. It also outlines the program types that may be most effective in supporting children and program elements that may contribute to positive mental health and wellbeing.
Our closest relationships are often, though not always, with our family. Parents, partners, spouses or kids may know you best and want to help when times get tough. However, family relationships can also be a source of tension, especially when there is a focus on negative emotions.
Creating an environment for positive communication is paramount, and can help family members express their feelings, as well as acknowledge their differences.
Below are suggestions on how to reach out to family and keep communication positive:
Listen more than you talk – Your family member could be helped just by knowing someone is really listening. Don’t jump in too soon with advice, as it may prevent you from truly understanding things from the other person’s perspective.
Look for non-verbal cues – Not everyone is good at telling you what they are feeling. They may say one thing, but facial expressions and body language can convey a different story. Take the time to actively listen to, and watch, all verbal and non-verbal cues.
Don’t just focus on small talk – Conversations about day-to-day activities and interests are important, but you can also try and dig deeper, and listen actively to get to know more about your family members.
Be direct – Say what you think and feel. Take the time to explain what you are going through and give clear examples.
Timing is key – Think about when your message will be well received. Be aware the time is not always right for big conversations. Rather than getting angry or shutting someone out, you can agree on when it would be best for you both to come back to the conversation.
Appreciate your differences – You may not view life the same way as other family members and you won’t approve of all the choices they make. Make sure they know they can come to you, even when you don’t agree with them.
Try different communication strategies – As well as differences in personalities and interests, family members will have different communication styles, and it’s important to learn how each person likes to give and receive information and support.
Do what you love together – It can be hard to make time for having fun as a family. However, participating in an activity that you all enjoy can strengthen your bonds and promote future positive interactions.
Implementing strategies for positive communication with family – Can help foster understanding, create stronger bonds, and ensure you can support each other when things get tough.
Addressing the gender pay gap is one way we can promote women’s independence and decision-making.The Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) has begun publishing the gender pay gap from employers with a workforce of 100 or more employees. The reporting measures the difference in earnings between women and men across organisations, industries and the wider Australian workforce. Accountability and action to address the gender pay gap is a significant step in achieving increased workforce participation and broader economic growth. It’s also an important contributor to preventing violence by promoting women’s independence and decision-making.
A review of literature from the UK has shown that in the seven years since mandatory publication of pay gap data was introduced, employers have:
increased understanding of, and engagement with, the gender pay gap – both broadly in society, and specifically with the contributing factors in their organisation
improved their gender pay gap and taken additional action to promote gender equality
experienced no negative reaction from employees.
The transparency is also contributing to strong recruitment and being an employer of choice – in the UK, women have reported they would prefer to accept lower pay than work for the employer with the highest pay gap in their industry.Is the gender pay gap the same as equal pay? Don’t we already have that?It’s common for “gender pay gap”, “equal pay” and “workplace equality” to get mixed up – they are related but distinct ideas. Equal pay means receiving the same pay for the same job, regardless of gender. It's been a legal requirement in Australia since 1969. But even with almost 50 years of equal pay, Australia still has a significant gender pay gap. Equal pay alone doesn’t create workplace equality. The gender pay gap describes the difference in average earnings between women and men in the workforce. It’s an important figure because it helps shine a light on the impact of the social and economic factors that reduce women’s abilities to earn – and therefore financial independence – over their career and into retirement.
Comments