I am currently in Family Court proceedings, Wellington for Protection Oder and Custody proceedings. I have had some supervised access to the Family Friend, Johnsonville last year. During Court proceedings the Access Supervisor stated that no one in 18 years has had supervised access at the Family Friend suspended. Has anyone experienced suspension of access […]

It seem that New Zealand is following UK in this new syndrome. CYFS has already win a landmark decision concerning this from Judge Ellis in the Family Court in July 2004 in Wellington. The new syndrome was started by Dr Danya Glaser from the UK. She has stated in her reports that over 50% of […]

Well, I headed off up North for a couple of weeks disconected fron the internet just as the biggest mainstream media news story about fathers and the Family Court in months was breaking, and returned to find our most active discussion to date. The UK based group Parents For Protest have a comprehensive collection of […]

Am I the Father? Paternity Testing Advice in New Zealand — This is potentially very important to you! It is the right of every child to know for sure who its true father is. It is just as important for fathers to know who their true children are. Yet there is a very high likelihood […]

An Auckland father at the centre of an international custody dispute has told his family he is hiding with his 5-month-old daughter because of an “unfair” court decision to award custody to her mother. Police yesterday appealed for 39-year-old Stephen Paul Jelicich to contact them and hand over baby Caitlin, following a request by Interpol. […]

Police are appealing to a father who has gone into hiding with his five month old baby, to give her up immediately. Baby Caitlin Jelicich was due to fly to Wales with her mother on Monday. But her father, Stephen Jelicich, 39, failed to return her as agreed after the weekend. The transfer of Caitlin […]

Santa Clause visited the Waitakere Family Court on Christmas Eve to deliver a present for the Judges and court staff. In some European traditions, children who are very badly behaved are said to get a lump of coal instead of presents – this Family Court received a whole bag! Afterwards, Santa joined Union of Fathers […]

High ranking man’s name suppressed in sex case 19 December 2004 By TONY WALL and EMILY WATT The Sunday Star-Times is fighting to unmask a high-ranking foreigner accused of a sex crime but whose identity is being protected by the courts. The paper is prohibited from revealing anything more about him, including where he lives […]

Shared Parenting Council of Australia – Media Release At last some support for separated fathers who have always known in their hearts that seeing their children once a fortnight was meaningless, both for them and for their children. Last year, at a summit on fatherhood in Oxford, England, two internationally recognised parenting experts, Adrienne Burgess […]

Tuvaluan overstayer Senee Niusila has been granted a reprieve, after appearing in court on charges of threatening to kill his wife. The kidney dialysis patient has been discharged without conviction. In the Waitakere District Court, Judge Philip Recordon took into account the argument that Niusila may die if he was convicted and deported to Tuvalu, […]

UK Fathers are to be given better access rights to their children in the event of family break-ups, under new proposals from the Government. New “parenting plans” for custody arrangements will be drawn up with the help of counsellors. The plans will assume that fathers should have reasonable access. Mothers could be ordered to attend […]

The father of Christchurch woman Lisa Hiddleston says a manslaughter verdict handed down to her killer is “right and proper”. Scott John Blackmore, 30, was last night acquitted of murdering his former partner Hiddleston by a jury in the High Court in Christchurch, and instead found guilty of manslaughter. He will be sentenced on December […]

A member of the UK Fathers 4 Justice organisation visited Men’s Centre North Shore last night. Paul Robinson’s mother Sonia told us that she was proud of her son for taking part in a protest which stopped London traffic for hours last February after they climbed onto gantries over arterial roads. Five fathers are now […]

A video planned for recent Counsel For Child workshops in Wellington and Auckland run by the Family Law section of the New Zealand Law Society has been banned because it is critical of the NZ family Law system. A former chairman of Men’s Center North Shore was invited to present to the workshops because of […]

On 10 November 2004 the Australian Government released a discussion paper seeking input from the community into the implementation of wide-ranging reforms to the family law system. The reforms follow the report of the parliamentary inquiry into child custody arrangements in the event of family separation: ‘Every Picture Tells a Story’ and include the establishment […]

Principal Family Court Judge Peter Boshier has moved to allay fears held by journalists that his judges will misuse their power to vet media stories. Last month the Government announced that Family Court proceedings would be opened to the public and media with tight restrictions in place. One proposed restriction strongly opposed by journalists was […]

Children’s advocates are welcoming the new Care of Children Bill. The Bill has been passed into law this afternoon [9th Nov], thanks to the Greens supporting Labour. It gives gay partners parental rights, strengthens police powers and increases children’s rights. Opponents say it negates the rights of parents, but Trish Grant from the Office of […]

The Family Court will be open to the media under legislation passed by Parliament yesterday. The Care of Children Bill, which was given its third reading on a 62-58 vote, carries a provision that accredited media can cover cases with the permission of the presiding judge. The identities of people appearing will still be protected. […]

Questions in Parliament for Oral Answer 3rd Nov 2004 8. JUDY TURNER (United Future) to the Minister for Courts: Is he satisfied that the new $1.5 million trial of mediators in the Family Court is sufficient reform to improve outcomes for children? Hon RICK BARKER (Minister for Courts): The $1.5 million will fund the cost […]

Press Release: New Zealand Government Parents who use their children to get back at estranged or divorced partners by preventing their return to the parent with day-to-day care, face the possibility of arrest, says Associate Justice Minister David Benson-Pope. Mr Benson-Pope says the Government will propose an amendment to the Care of Children Bill, being […]

The Union of Fathers says a new family court model is a small step in the right direction, but warns there is still a long way to go. The Government is trialling a non judge-led mediation service aimed at resolving custody and access issues. The Union of Fathers says public debate is needed so the […]

The Government intends passing its Care of Children Bill next week, and will put Parliament into urgency this Thursday so the legislation can complete its committee stage. Associate Justice Minister David Benson-Pope, who is in charge of the bill, said today it was the most significant improvement to guardianship laws in almost 40 years. “The […]

UK and Dutch members of Fathers 4 Justice overpowered police and stormed a conference on family law last Friday, forcing the evacuation of the building. The fathers’ rights group was hoping to get the chance to remonstrate with the UK children and families minister, Lord Filkin, outside the conference venue, which is next to the […]

The Union of Fathers believes a new Family Court pilot scheme will be a huge success, if it is well resourced. A non judge-led mediation service is being trialled to resolve custody and access issues on Auckland’s North Shore. Union of Fathers spokesman Jim Bagnall says it is critical highly skilled mediators are used, so […]

There are hopes a pilot scheme for resolving child custody issues will be more successful than the current system. Early next year families on Auckland’s North Shore will be given the option of accepting mediation not led by a judge. Courts Minister Rick Barker says currently families referred to mediation can wait weeks or even […]