Family Law & Child Support Reform - Time to support Australians

12th August, 2019

On Monday 12th August 2019, Philip spoke at a Family Law and Child Support Community Forum hosted by the Hon. Colin Tincknell MLC in Mandurah.

As Philip advised during his speech, he's been supporting those affected by Family Law and Child Support related issues for about four years now, both as the President of the Lions Club of Whitford, as a Lions Australian delegate to the United Nations (New York & Geneva) and as a previous Board member and WA State Director of the Australian Lions Drug Awareness Foundation. More recently Philip also joined the Board of Beacon Fight For Life, in addition to other Board, business and charity roles.

Earlier this year, Philip was at the United Nations in New York wherein Lions Clubs International reiterated the very important advocacy role all Lions do on behalf of their community. Philip also spoke to the Lions International President, fellow Lions, Ambassadors, their staff and advised of the advocacy the Lions Club of Whitford undertakes on behalf of our community, and more importantly, to the problems being experienced by many Australians (parents, children, grandparents and extended families) by Family Law and Child Support related issues, including those that have either taken their own lives, or been affected by death and suicide.

In New York Philip also met with Past International President, Chancellor Bob Corlew, who presented him with the Lions Clubs International Presidential Medal in April 2017 for his dedicated service to those in need. At the time of being awarded the Presidential Medal, Chancellor Corlew commented that "Philips hard work and compassion serves as an example to Lions, your community and the world around you."

Philip advised those present at the forum of one case, that of a local family and their seven (7) year old daughter who attempted suicide. Most distressing was the utter despair and devastation this young girl felt after her parent's separated, and together with ongoing arguments and alienation of her father, it was too much for the young child to take and eventually led her to believe that if she took her own life, she would re-spawn like a video game and everything between her parents would be good again. Unfortunately, life is not like a video game, and Philip again questioned just what we, as a community are doing to our children, and our next generation of Australians.

There were 191 people in attendance at the forum, and equally there were a lot of emotions present. The stories we heard were horrendous and the community, parents, children and families are very angry, angry at the position they find themselves in, and furthermore angry that successive governments, politicians, and our courts were not listening to them.

Philip's also of the belief the current system is fundamentally flawed and contributes to the destruction of Australian families, and is also a major cause of many deaths, many of which occur by Australians own hands. Philip's also sought a Royal Commission as Family Law reform is urgently needed so that Australian families, and most importantly children's needs, and their access to both parents and their extended families should be forefront in ALL Family Law and Child Support cases.

After everything Philip's observed, seen and heard regarding Family Law and Child Support, Philip believes the damage being caused to Australians is immense and must immediately stop. Most importantly, as a civilised society that's meant to respect and support its citizens, Philip believes we all have a responsibility to ensure we support our citizens, including our weakest and most vulnerable, which in this case is our children.

At Lions We Serve, and most importantly "We're Australian & we look after one another."