New family laws passed by House
June 22, 2005 - 10:05PM
Men who discover they aren't the biological father of a child will have the right to reclaim money paid as maintenance under new laws passed by the House of Representatives.
Attorney-General Philip Ruddock said the laws were aimed at improving the current family law system and addressing the problem of parenting court orders which failed to work in practice.
He said changes proposed in the bill would clarify a court's power to send warring parties to counselling and post-separation parenting programs.
"Another important amendment in the bill provides a right for persons who are determined not to be a parent of a child, through DNA testing or by other means, to recover any monies paid or property transferred for the benefit of that child under maintenance orders," Mr Ruddock told parliament.
The laws also allow transfer of family law proceedings from state magistrates courts to the federal magistrates court.
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