Annual report [1997-98] - Family Court of Australia

The Family Court of Australia – annual report 1997-98
Introduction
This is the ninth annual report of the Family Court of Australia.
Part One provides a brief introduction to and overview of the Court – its objective, its management,
new organisational structure and the location of its offices and registries.
Part Two contains the Chief Justice’s annual ‘Year in Review’covering initiatives across
all areas of the Court and issues affecting its operations. This review provides a contextual
backdrop for the more detailed reports that appear in Part Three – The Workings of the
Court which makes up the main body of the Report. Cross-references are used to link these
two sections.
Part Three includes key information relating to the Court’s counselling and mediation services,
performance standards, appeal division workload, significant judgments, major initiatives
in social justice and equity programs and internal and external scrutiny. This part
also details significant achievements in the programs which provide the administrative
background to the work of the Court, including workplace diversity programs and equal
employment opportunity, occupational health and safety, industrial democracy and freedom
of information.
Statistics detailing the Court’s workload throughout 1997-98 are contained in Part Four.
These tables also provide information on family breakdown and the types of applications
filed and orders sought.
Part Five contains financial statements, the staffing overview and other appendices including
a copy of the Court’s new Service Charter.
Enquiries relating to information contained in this Report and additional information held
in accordance with Attachment 3 of the ‘Requirements for Departmental Annual Reports’
should be addressed to the following contact officer:
Mr Bill Jackson
Manager, Public Relations
Family Court of Australia
PO Box 9991
Melbourne 3001
Tel: (03) 9242 5888
Fax: (03) 9602 2105
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