Allegations against Family Court of Australia say children ‘handed to sexual predators’

SERIOUS allegations have been levelled against the Family Court of Australia, with advocates claiming the system is breeding a “culture” that puts children in grave danger.

The forum is part of a concerted push by child protection agency Bravehearts to pressure the Turnbull Government into broadening the terms of reference of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.

ALLEGATIONS of serious failures by the Family Court of Australia will be collected in Brisbane tomorrow as complainants from four states record accusations that children are being released into the ­custody of sexual predators.

The film and audio forum, unprecedented in Australia, will be held with the assistance of the Griffith University Film and Television School, and will include the account of a whistle­blowing Family Court lawyer who has a file of allegations related to the court stretching back four years.

Other allegations include:

• A grandfather who alleges his grandson was ordered by the court to live with a sexually abusive mother;

• A mother who alleges her children were left in the custody of a father who performed sex acts in front of the children;

• Critical parts of Family Court transcripts were removed.

The forum, which will protect the identity of complainants, is part of a concerted push by child protection agency Bravehearts to pressure the Turnbull Government into broadening the terms of reference of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.

Hetty Johnston, CEO of Bravehearts is pressuring the Prime Minister's office to broaden the terms of reference of the Royal Commission into Child Sexual Abuse. Picture: Darren England.

Bravehearts founder Hetty Johnston said the Family Court was a secretive and powerful institution that did not always act in the best interests of vulnerable children.

“The family law system is simply the most dangerous ­institute in Australia for children,” she said.

A lawyer, who asked not to be named and is providing evidence to Bravehearts, said the court had a mindset where ­allegations of sexual abuse were almost automatically treated with scepticism, leaving many children at grave risk.

“It is not a conspiracy – it is a culture,’’ the lawyer said.

Ms Johnston said that the Royal Commission already had much of the bureaucracy to incorporate an examination of the Family Court.

“We are pleading with the Prime Minister and he is ­listening – the door is now open and we are continuing the ­dialogue with the Prime Minister and we have great hopes.’’

Mr Turnbull has not made any formal decision on Bravehearts’ request.

However, the office of Attorney-General George Brandis said the Royal Commission was due to deliver its final report at the end of the year.

“These findings will inform future policy and legislation to improve responses to child sexual abuse wherever it happens,’’ a spokesman said.

The Government is already considering a range of reports making recommendations about the family law system.

Among those are the Family Law Council’s reports on families with complex needs, as well as a Bravehearts paper on the family law system.

The Family Court of Australia declined to comment.