Progress on family law changes

New laws to improve the family law system will be brought to federal parliament later this year.

On budget night, the Turnbull government announced it would change the law to protect victims of family violence from the trauma of coming face-to-face with alleged perpetrators for cross-examination in court.

The changes will allow victims to have a court-appointed lawyer if they want to cross-examine the alleged perpetrator.

And perpetrators won’t be allowed to personally cross-examine their victims.

As well, “parenting management hearings” will provide a less-combative way of resolving family law disputes between self-represented litigants.

Attorney-General George Brandis told a Senate committee on Wednesday he expects an exposure draft of the laws and a consultation paper will be released “imminently”.

The government aims to have the legislation in parliament in the spring sitting.

By: Paul Osborne