The recent budget announcement provided additional funding over the next four (4) years for the broad expansion of the Lighthouse model. The Lighthouse model has been trialed as part of the Lighthouse Project, a pilot project in the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (“FCFCOA”) in recent times.
The Lighthouse Project has been a pilot program in the Adelaide, Brisbane and Parramatta Registries since December 2020 with a focus on improvement in risk screening, triage and assessment of family law matters. The additional funding will provide for the project to be expanded in 15 Family Law registries across Australia and will be offered to any party filing parenting only, and parenting and financial orders.
The Lighthouse model builds on the success of the Pilot Project and places significant attention on the support, safety and wellbeing of families who enter the family law system. From late November 2022, the Family Law case management pathway will include additional steps for Initiating Applications filed in the court and corresponding responses, to identify and triage risk. Those steps include the completion of a risk screen via a confidential and secure online platform. There will also be a dedicated and specialised team made up of Judicial Registrars, Family Counsellors, and support staff with detailed knowledge in family violence and family safety risks, identifying the best direction of a matter and identifying where parties might need additional supports and referrals. The changes also include Case Management, with referrals to the “Evatts list” a specialist court list developed and designed to assist those families that have been identified as being at high risk of family violence and other safety concerns.
From a practical perspective this means that lawyers filing Initiating Applications in the court from the end of this month will be required to take extra steps and follow a different pathway.
The Honourable Justice William Alstergren AO has indicated that the amendments to the case management pathway are a significant occasion for the Courts in its continuing commitment to the protection of vulnerable parties and children in family law proceedings.
When engaging one of the experienced Family Lawyers at Macrossan and Amiet clients can be confident that they are fully abreast of the changes to the Family Law process.
