'Fathers Condemn 'McDad' Green Paper'

17th July 2004



The UK's largest equal parenting group Fathers 4 Justice (F4J) today
promised to dramatically escalate its campaign for a legal presumption
to contact between children and their parents and 50/50 parenting time
in light of the Government leaking proposals from its Green Paper.

The proposals are thought to include a 70/30 split of parenting time but
with no legal presumption to contact, only optional mediation and no
protection for children from losing contact with a fit interested
parent.

F4J says that the Green Paper is a 'McDad's' Charter that confirms the
Government's view that fathers are second class parents.

The group has dubbed fathers who are frequently seen meeting their kids
at McDonalds fast food outlets as 'McDads'.

Said F4J Founder Matt O'Connor 'A McDad is a father who is stripped of
everything except the occasional opportunity of seeing his kids at a
McDonalds fast food outlet. This seems to be what the Government expects
to be the 'norm'."

The group, who have yet to see any Government response to its Blueprint
for Family Law Reform, say that the Green Paper serves up
children a junk food diet of McDad's - 'fast food' fathers who want to
spend quality time with their kids but are prevented from doing so by
the Family Courts."

"This Green Paper is the ultimate in 'unhappy meals' and the worst
possible diet for our children's futures."

"No parent should be gullible enough to swallow a Green Paper that has to be
washed down with lashings of whitewash. The Government's approach to the
crisis in Family Law is to cynically play politics with children's lives.
The Children's Minister goes from TV station to TV station telling everyone
that there's no problem and then releases a Green Paper just before
summer recess to stifle debate."

Fathers 4 Justice will later launch a campaign against Children's
Minister Margaret Hodge later this week, that will see her labelled
a 'McMenace to Society'.

Other widespread civil disruption and disobedience could be imminent say the
group.

ENDS

Fathers 4 Justice is the World's largest equal parenting group with over
10,000 registered supporters in the UK and branches in Australia and
Canada. The group hope to launch in the US and Holland this Autumn.