❓ A WA parliamentary question addresses the protection of at-risk children removed from grandparental care due to parental social security concerns. The response outlines the Family Court's role and redirects a portion of the question to the Minister for Community Development.
AnsweredQoN 851Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I first asked this question on 4 April. Legal departments constantly advise that children in danger are protected, that the courts are mindful of the value of grandparents and that grandparents can apply to the courts for orders. Often, at-risk children are whisked away from the safety of a grandparent’s care when a parent learns that he or she may lose social security benefits, thus subjecting the child to further neglect and abuse. (1) How is the child protected in this situation? (2) Will the Government support a children’s advocate to inspect the child and his or her environment in these circumstances? Hon NICK GRIFFITHS
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Attorney General has provided the following response - (1) Both the commonwealth Family Law Act 1975, which applies to children of married couples, and the Western Australian Family Court Act 1997, which applies to exnuptial children, enshrine the best interests of children as the Family Court’s paramount consideration in determining any matter before it that involves children. Accordingly, the Family Court endeavours to protect children in the situation described in the preamble by making appropriate orders in line with this principle when an application is brought before it. (2) It would be appropriate to direct this question to the Minister for Community Development given that this question falls within her portfolio.
(1) How is the child protected in this situation? (2) Will the Government support a children’s advocate to inspect the child and his or her environment in these circumstances? Hon NICK GRIFFITHS replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Attorney General has provided the following response - (1) Both the commonwealth Family Law Act 1975, which applies to children of married couples, and the Western Australian Family Court Act 1997, which applies to exnuptial children, enshrine the best interests of children as the Family Court’s paramount consideration in determining any matter before it that involves children. Accordingly, the Family Court endeavours to protect children in the situation described in the preamble by making appropriate orders in line with this principle when an application is brought before it. (2) It would be appropriate to direct this question to the Minister for Community Development given that this question falls within her portfolio.
(2) Will the Government support a children’s advocate to inspect the child and his or her environment in these circumstances? Hon NICK GRIFFITHS replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Attorney General has provided the following response - (1) Both the commonwealth Family Law Act 1975, which applies to children of married couples, and the Western Australian Family Court Act 1997, which applies to exnuptial children, enshrine the best interests of children as the Family Court’s paramount consideration in determining any matter before it that involves children. Accordingly, the Family Court endeavours to protect children in the situation described in the preamble by making appropriate orders in line with this principle when an application is brought before it. (2) It would be appropriate to direct this question to the Minister for Community Development given that this question falls within her portfolio.
Hon NICK GRIFFITHS replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Attorney General has provided the following response - (1) Both the commonwealth Family Law Act 1975, which applies to children of married couples, and the Western Australian Family Court Act 1997, which applies to exnuptial children, enshrine the best interests of children as the Family Court’s paramount consideration in determining any matter before it that involves children. Accordingly, the Family Court endeavours to protect children in the situation described in the preamble by making appropriate orders in line with this principle when an application is brought before it. (2) It would be appropriate to direct this question to the Minister for Community Development given that this question falls within her portfolio.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Attorney General has provided the following response - (1) Both the commonwealth Family Law Act 1975, which applies to children of married couples, and the Western Australian Family Court Act 1997, which applies to exnuptial children, enshrine the best interests of children as the Family Court’s paramount consideration in determining any matter before it that involves children. Accordingly, the Family Court endeavours to protect children in the situation described in the preamble by making appropriate orders in line with this principle when an application is brought before it. (2) It would be appropriate to direct this question to the Minister for Community Development given that this question falls within her portfolio.
(1) Both the commonwealth Family Law Act 1975, which applies to children of married couples, and the Western Australian Family Court Act 1997, which applies to exnuptial children, enshrine the best interests of children as the Family Court’s paramount consideration in determining any matter before it that involves children. Accordingly, the Family Court endeavours to protect children in the situation described in the preamble by making appropriate orders in line with this principle when an application is brought before it. (2) It would be appropriate to direct this question to the Minister for Community Development given that this question falls within her portfolio.
(2) It would be appropriate to direct this question to the Minister for Community Development given that this question falls within her portfolio.
(1) How is the child protected in this situation? (2) Will the Government support a children’s advocate to inspect the child and his or her environment in these circumstances? Hon NICK GRIFFITHS replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Attorney General has provided the following response - (1) Both the commonwealth Family Law Act 1975, which applies to children of married couples, and the Western Australian Family Court Act 1997, which applies to exnuptial children, enshrine the best interests of children as the Family Court’s paramount consideration in determining any matter before it that involves children. Accordingly, the Family Court endeavours to protect children in the situation described in the preamble by making appropriate orders in line with this principle when an application is brought before it. (2) It would be appropriate to direct this question to the Minister for Community Development given that this question falls within her portfolio.
(2) Will the Government support a children’s advocate to inspect the child and his or her environment in these circumstances? Hon NICK GRIFFITHS replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Attorney General has provided the following response - (1) Both the commonwealth Family Law Act 1975, which applies to children of married couples, and the Western Australian Family Court Act 1997, which applies to exnuptial children, enshrine the best interests of children as the Family Court’s paramount consideration in determining any matter before it that involves children. Accordingly, the Family Court endeavours to protect children in the situation described in the preamble by making appropriate orders in line with this principle when an application is brought before it. (2) It would be appropriate to direct this question to the Minister for Community Development given that this question falls within her portfolio.
Hon NICK GRIFFITHS replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Attorney General has provided the following response - (1) Both the commonwealth Family Law Act 1975, which applies to children of married couples, and the Western Australian Family Court Act 1997, which applies to exnuptial children, enshrine the best interests of children as the Family Court’s paramount consideration in determining any matter before it that involves children. Accordingly, the Family Court endeavours to protect children in the situation described in the preamble by making appropriate orders in line with this principle when an application is brought before it. (2) It would be appropriate to direct this question to the Minister for Community Development given that this question falls within her portfolio.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. The Attorney General has provided the following response - (1) Both the commonwealth Family Law Act 1975, which applies to children of married couples, and the Western Australian Family Court Act 1997, which applies to exnuptial children, enshrine the best interests of children as the Family Court’s paramount consideration in determining any matter before it that involves children. Accordingly, the Family Court endeavours to protect children in the situation described in the preamble by making appropriate orders in line with this principle when an application is brought before it. (2) It would be appropriate to direct this question to the Minister for Community Development given that this question falls within her portfolio.
(1) Both the commonwealth Family Law Act 1975, which applies to children of married couples, and the Western Australian Family Court Act 1997, which applies to exnuptial children, enshrine the best interests of children as the Family Court’s paramount consideration in determining any matter before it that involves children. Accordingly, the Family Court endeavours to protect children in the situation described in the preamble by making appropriate orders in line with this principle when an application is brought before it. (2) It would be appropriate to direct this question to the Minister for Community Development given that this question falls within her portfolio.
(2) It would be appropriate to direct this question to the Minister for Community Development given that this question falls within her portfolio.
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