Child abductions will continue to happen as Australia increases its international ties

The situation in Lebanon – where mother Sally Faulkner, alongside a 60 Minutes film crew, made a failed attempt to recover her children from their Lebanese father – highlights the difficulties facing separated Australian parents where one or both parents have connections with a country other than Australia.

It is not likely to be an isolated case, thanks to the changing make-up of this country.

Our large international population has created Australia’s valuable cultural diversity and boosted economic growth. It is commonplace for middle-class children to travel internationally with their families, especially where one or both of their parents are born outside of the country.

Moving to Australia, however, can lead to isolation for spouses and place stress upon relationships which may result in separation.

Some 47 per cent of divorces granted in Australia in 2014 involved either one or both spouses having been born overseas, and of those relationships, 61 per cent of spouses were born in different countries from each other.

By Matthew Shepherd

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