News and media centre

With today’s commencement of the Family Law Amendment Act 2023 and the Family Law (Information Sharing) Act 2023, amendments have taken effect to four practice directions: Central Practice Direction: Family Law Case Management, Family Law Practice Direction: Parenting Proceedings, Family Law Practice Direction: Financial Proceedings and Family Law Practice Direction: Critical Incident List. In addition, the COVID-19 List Practice Direction has been revoked.

Media release from the Attorney-General's Department. Today the Albanese Government’s significant reforms to the Family Law Act come into effect, making Australia’s family law system simpler, safer and easier for separating families and their children.

Today the Courts are providing an update in relation to amendments to the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Family Law) Rules 2021 (Family Law Rules).

A number of court forms require amendments due to the commencement of the Family Law Amendment Act 2023 and the Family Law (Information Sharing) Act 2023 (the Family Law Act Amendments). Some forms have had new questions added or the structure of the form has changed. Other forms have only had minor changes to legislation references (sections of the Family Law Act) or words in the instruction pages. To allow parties and practitioners to prepare for the changes, copies of the new forms are hyperlinked below. They should be filed on or after 6 May 2024.

Today, the Chief Justice of the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (FCFCOA), the Hon William Alstergren AO is hosting an inaugural National Family Violence Symposium involving approximately 80 key stakeholders from every State and Terri

Changes to the Family Law Act due to the commencement of the Family Law Amendment Act 2023 and Family Law Amendment (Information Sharing) Act 2023 commence on 6 May 2024.

The Albanese Government is launching new resources to tackle family violence by helping victims, their families, friends and frontline professionals to identify patterns of behaviour that amount to coercive control.

The Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Division 1) and (Division 2) (Courts) have expanded the highly successful Court Dog Program to Tasmania through the introduction of ‘Zoey’, a fully accredited and licenced therapy dog, who was ‘sworn in’ today at the Hobart registry.

In March last year, the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (the Courts) launched a Specialist Indigenous List (SIL) operating from the Lismore registry in NSW. The SIL was designed to better meet the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander parties and children, and to adopt an appropriate degree of informality in relevant family law proceedings.

The Attorney-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, the Honourable Mark Dreyfus KC MP has today announced the appointment of Mr Anastasis (Tass) Liveris as a Judge of the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (FCFCOA) (Division 2).

The Courts have responded to feedback and family law judgments and Court Children’s Services reports released from 11 December 2023 will be accessible from the Commonwealth Courts Portal (CCP). This will improve the accessibility of these documents and security of distribution.

As part of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, representatives from the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (the Courts) will be presenting at the STOP Domestic Violence Conference

It is with pride that the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Division 1 and Division 2) (the Courts) congratulate Senior Judicial Registrar Lisa O’Neill for being listed as a finalist for the 2023 Dame Quentin Bryce Domestic Violence P

Lighthouse and the associated bespoke case management for high risk matters focuses on the safety of children and their families by identifying and addressing issues of family violence and other risks.

This update provides important information about Applications for Review filed after 24 November 2023 in family law.