Attachment Theory and the Family Violence Reforms

parenting arrangements) raise concerns. All reports recommended that trainingand professional development be improved; 80• two aspects of the legislative framework in particular may inhibit concerns aboutfamily violence and child abuse being raised at all or in a way that links them tothe future involvement of a parent in a child’s life. These are the cost orders forfalse allegations (section 117AB) and the ‘friendly parent’ provisions criterion(paragraph 60CC(3)(c) and also paragraph 60CC(4)(b)). 81The Government’s responseIn November 2010, the then Attorney-General, the Hon R McClelland, released theExposure Draft Family Law Amendment (Family Violence) Bill 2010 and a relatedconsultation paper. The exposure draft bill was described as responding to “the recentreports commissioned into the 2006 family law reforms and how the family law systemdeals with family violence.” 82The former Attorney-General indicated that the Department received over 400submissions on the exposure draft bill, with 73 per cent of these being supportive of theproposed measures.22The exposure draft bill, with some amendments, formed the basis for the Bill introducedinto Parliament on 24 March 2011 and which subsequently passed into law on 7December 2011.80 Ibid.81 Ibid.82 Ibid.48