Appendix A
Appendix B
Appendix C
Appendix D
Appendix E
Appendix F
Appendix G
Appendix H
Appendix I
Appendix J
Appendix K

Appendix A: Entity resource statement 2015–16

Table A.1: Entity Resource Statement 2015–16

	Actual Available appropriation 2015–16 $'000	Payments made 2015–16 $'000	Balance remaining 2015–16 $'000
Ordinary annual services1
Departmental appropriation2	180,621	167,555	13,0664
Total	180,621	167,555	13,066
Administered expenses
Outcome 15	892	564	3286
Total	892	564	328
Total ordinary annual services	181,513	168,119	13,394
Special Appropriations Special appropriations limited by criteria / entitlement
Public Governance , Performance and Accountability Act 2013 s 777	300	255	45
Total	300	255	45
Special accounts8
Opening balance	–	–	–
Appropriation receipts	–	–	–
Total special accounts	–	–	–
Total net resourcing for agency	181,813	168,374	13,439

1. Appropriation Act (No.1) 2015–16 and Appropriation Act (No.3) 2015–16. This also includes Prior Year departmental appropriation and S.74 relevant agency receipts.
2. Includes an amount of $7.398m in 2015–16 for the Departmental Capital Budget. For accounting purposes this amount has been designated as 'contributions by owners'.
3. Includes $159.500m in Appropriations (Appropriation Bill No. 1 & 3), and $2.699m in section 74 Receipts per Note 5.1A of the Financial Statements, and $1.396m in Cash – Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the reporting period – per Cash Flow Statement, and $17.026m in Appropriations Receivable per Note 3.1B in the Financial Statements.
4. Unspent departmental annual Appropriations per Note 5.1B of the Financial Statements.
5. Administered Appropriations per Note 5.1A of the Financial Statements.
6. Administered appropriation balance remaining per Note 5.1B of the Financial Statements (includes payments of $0.040m for 2014–15 accrued items).
7. Repayments not provided for under other appropriations. Note 5.1C in the Financial Statements.
8. 8 Does not include 'Special Public Money' held in accounts like Other Trust Monies Account (OTM).

Expenses and resources for outcome 1

Table A.2: Expenses for Outcome 1

Outcome 1: Provide access to justice for litigants in family and federal law matters within the jurisdiction of the courts through the provision of judicial and support services.	Budget1 2015–16 $'000 (a)	Actual Expenses 2015–16 $'000 (b)	Variation 2015–16 $'000 (a) – (b)
Program 1.1: Family Court and Federal Circuit Court
Administered expenses
Ordinary Annual Services (Appropriation Bill No. 1 & No. 3)	892	5252	367
Expenses not requiring appropriation in the Budget year	0	8003	-800
Special appropriations	300	2434	57
Departmental expenses
Departmental Appropriation (Appropriation Bill No. 1 & No. 3)5	156,477	156,388	89
Expenses not requiring appropriation in the Budget year6	50,126	49,725	401
Total expenses for Outcome 1	207,795	207,681	114
	2014–15	2015–16
Average Staffing Level (number)	775	766

1. 1 Full year budget, including any subsequent adjustment made to the 2015–16 Budget per 2015–16 Estimated Actual expenses in Table 2.1 of the 2015–16 Attorney General's Portfolio Additional Estimates Statements, page 81.
2. 2 Administered Expenses (Services Rendered) per Note 2.1A of the Financial Statements.
3. 3 Includes write down and impairment of assets per Note 2.1B of the Financial Statements.
4. 4 Special appropriations consist of refunds of fees paid under section 77 of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013.
5. 5 Departmental Appropriation combines 'Ordinary annual services (Appropriation Bill No.1 and No.3) and 's 74 retained revenue receipts'.
6. 6 Includes depreciation and amortisation, liabilities assumed by related entities for the Judges Pension Scheme (Family Court of Australia), resources received free of charge, and Judges Pension Scheme (Invalidity) (Federal Circuit Court of Australia).

Appendix B: Staffing profile

The Courts and Tribunals Legislation Amendment (Administration) Act 2012 came into effect on 1 July 2013 formalising merged administrative arrangements that had been in place for some years. The Act also formalises the arrangements for there to be a single Chief Executive Officer for both the Family Court and the Federal Circuit Court.

As at 30 June 2016, the entity had a total workforce of 753 employees that either supports a specific court e.g. direct judicial support to a Family Court justice or a Federal Circuit Court judge, or provides shared services e.g. registrars, family consultants, registry services and corporate services.

Of the entity&aposs 753 employees:

• 191 (25.37 per cent) were male and 562 (74.63 per cent) were female, and
• 601 (79.81 per cent) were ongoing employees and 152 (20.19 per cent) were non-ongoing employees.

The following tables show staff statistics by location, gender, full-time and part-time status, and ongoing and non-ongoing.

Table B.1: Staff by location

Level	ACT	NSO	NSW	NT	QLD	SA	TAS	VIC	WA	Total
APS 1			1							1
APS 2	1	1	17		10	4		18		51
APS 3	6	9	67	3	34	14	7	35		175
APS 4	5	10	60	1	33	12	4	36	1	162
APS 5	3	23	43	2	22	8	5	28	1	135
APS 6	4	26	7		2	2		3		44
EL 1	6	29	31	1	17	7	6	23		120
EL 2	2	7	22		12	4	2	10		59
SES 1		1	1		1			1		4
SES 2		2								2
Total	27	108	249	7	131	51	24	154	2	753

Note: Actual occupancy at 30 June 2016 includes full and part-time staff with the exception of judicial officers and casual employees. All figures are based on actual headcount.

Legend
SES – Senior Executive Officer
NSO – National Support Office

Table B.2: Staff by gender

Level	Gender	ACT	NSO	NSW	NT	QLD	SA	TAS	VIC	WA	Total
APS 1	Male			1							1
APS 2	Female	1	1	13		7	4		12		38
	Male			4		3			6		13
APS 3	Female	4	7	49	2	24	7	6	24		123
	Male	2	2	18	1	10	7	1	11		52
APS 4	Female	4	8	50	1	26	10	4	29		132
	Male	1	2	10		7	2		7	1	30
APS 5	Female	3	18	36	2	20	8	4	23	1	115
	Male		5	7		2		1	5		20
APS 6	Female	4	15	6		2	2		3		32
	Male		11	1							12
EL 1	Female	4	4	25	1	17	5	6	19		81
	Male	2	25	6			2		4		39
EL 2	Female	2	3	15		6	3	1	8		38
	Male		4	7		6	1	1	2		21
SES 1	Female			1					1		2
	Male		1			1					2
SES 2	Female		1								1
	Male		1								1
Total		27	108	249	7	131	51	24	154	2	753

Table B.3: Staff by attendance status

Level	Attendance	ACT	NSO	NSW	NT	QLD	SA	TAS	VIC	WA	Total
APS 1	Full-time
	Part-time			1							1
APS 2	Full-time	1	1	11		9	3		14		39
	Part-time			6		1	1		4		12
APS 3	Full-time	6	7	46	3	25	13	4	25		129
	Part-time		2	21		9	1	3	10		46
APS 4	Full-time	5	8	51	1	31	9	3	30	1	139
	Part-time		2	9		2	3	1	6		23
APS 5	Full-time	3	20	37	2	20	8	5	24	1	120
	Part-time		3	6		2			4		15
APS 6	Full-time	2	22	7		2	2		3		38
	Part-time	2	4								6
EL 1	Full-time	4	27	19	1	13	4	2	14		84
	Part-time	2	2	12		4	3	4	9		36
EL 2	Full-time	2	7	15		10	3	1	8		46
	Part-time			7		2	1	1	2		13
SES 1	Full-time		1	1		1			1		4
SES 2	Full-time		2								2
Total		27	108	249	7	131	51	24	154	2	753

Note: Judicial officers and the Chief Executive Officer, who are holders of public office, and casual employees are not included in the above tables.

Table B.4: Ongoing staff by location and classification

Level	ACT	NSO	NSW	NT	QLD	SA	TAS	VIC	WA	Total
APS 1			1							1
APS 2		1	14		6	4		15		40
APS 3	3	7	55	3	30	13	4	29		144
APS 4	3	8	33	1	18	8	2	19	1	93
APS 5	2	22	35	2	19	8	5	21	1	115
APS 6	4	25	7		2	2		2		42
EL 1	5	26	30	1	14	6	5	18		105
EL 2	2	7	20		11	4	2	10		56
SES 1			1		1			1		3
SES 2		2								2
Total	19	98	196	7	101	45	18	115	2	601

Table B.5: Non-ongoing staff by location and classification

Level	ACT	NSO	NSW	NT	QLD	SA	TAS	VIC	WA	Total
APS 2	1		3		4			3		11
APS 3	3	2	12		4	1	3	6		31
APS 4	2	2	27		15	4	2	17		69
APS 5	1	1	8		3			7		20
APS 6		1						1		2
EL 1	1	3	1		3	1	1	5		15
EL 2			2		1					3
SES 1		1								1
Total	8	10	53		30	6	6	39		152

Table B.6: Indigenous staff by location, gender and employment status

Employment Status	Gender	ACT	NSO	NSW	NT	QLD	SA	TAS	VIC	WA	Total
Ongoing	Female			4		1	1		1		7
	Male
Non-ongoing	Female
Total				4		1	1		1		7

Judicial Officers

At 30 June 2016, there were 65 judges, including the Chief Judge, 25 female and 40 male.

Table B.7: Number of Judges, at 30 June 2016

Location	Judges
Australian Capital Territory	3
New South Wales	1 Chief Judge 24 judges
Northern Territory	1
Queensland	13
South Australia	5
Tasmania	1
Victoria	16
Western Australia	1
Total	65

Workforce turnover

During 2015–16, 100 employees left the Court (33 were non-ongoing, 67 were ongoing employees), representing an annual turnover rate of 13.28 per cent against total employee numbers (753) at 30 June 2016.

Table B.8: Workforce turnover

Employment Type	Reason	Total
Non-ongoing employees – 4.38%	Resignation	32
	Dismissed	1
Total non-ongoing employees		33
Ongoing employees – 8.90%	Dismissed – Code of Conduct	2
	Inter-department transfer	9
	Redundancy	3
	Resignation	34
	Retirement age under 60	11
	Retirement age 60 – 65	6
	Retirement age over 65	2
Total ongoing employees		67
Total		100

Note: The above figures do not include non-ongoing employees whose actual period of engagement reached their non-ongoing contract date of expiry.

Agreement making

Enterprise Agreement

The Federal Magistrates Court of Australia and Family Court of Australia Enterprise Agreement 2011–2014 continued to operate during 2015–16. The Agreement has a nominal expiry date of 30 June 2014, however, under present arrangements it will continue to operate after that date until replaced or formally terminated.

At 30 June 2016, 733* Family Court and Federal Circuit Court employees were covered by the Enterprise Agreement.

Table B.9: Family Court and Federal Circuit Court employees covered by the Federal Magistrates Court of Australia and Family Court of Australia Enterprise Agreement 2011–2014

Level	Female	Male	Total
APS 1		1	1
APS 2	38	13	51
APS 3	123	52	175
APS 4	132	30	162
APS 5	115	20	135
APS 6	32	12	44
EL 1	80	38	118
EL 2	37	10	47
Total	557	176	733

* Excludes casual employees.

Other agreements

Offers of Australian Workplace Agreements (AWA) to court employees ceased from 13 February 2008, in accordance with government policy; however, at 30 June 2016, 12 employees had enforceable AWAs in place.

In some limited cases, the Family Court and Federal Circuit Court has used common law contracts and determination 24 instruments pursuant to the Public Service Act 1999, to build upon existing AWA arrangements.

Table B.10: Employees covered by other agreements

	Australian Workplace Agreements			Common law contracts			Individual Flexibility Arrangements			Determination 24 arrangements
Level	Female	Male	Total	Female	Male	Total	Female	Male	Total	Female	Male	Total
APS 1
APS 2							1		1
APS 3
APS 4
APS 5							1		1
APS 6							1		1
EL 1		1	1	1		1	6	9	15
EL 2	1	7	8		4	4	5	6	11	1	1	2
SES 1	1		1	1	2	3
SES 2	1	1	2								1	1
Total	3	9	12	2	6	8	14	15	29	1	2	3

Non-Salary benefits

Non-salary benefits provided by the Court to employees include motor vehicles, car parking, superannuation, access to salary sacrificing arrangements, computers, including home-based computer access, membership of professional associations, mobile phones, studies assistance, leave flexibilities, workplace responsibility allowances (for example, first aid, chief and deputy fire warden, community language), and airline club memberships.

Performance pay arrangements

The Court's industrial instruments do not include provision for performance based pay to employees. No employees received performance pay during 2015–16.

Table B.11: AWA minimum salary ranges by classification

Classification	Salary Range ($)
APS 2	59,311 – 59,311
APS 3	N/A
APS 4	N/A
APS 5	84,754 – 84,754
APS 6	89,217 – 89,217
EL 1	102,137 – 130,000
EL 2	131,082 – 188,665
SES 1	175,434 – 209,650
SES 2	211,851 – 215,237

Table B.12: Classification structure and pay rates in accordance with the Federal Magistrates Court of Australia and Family Court of Australia Enterprise Agreement 2011–2014*

APS classification	Salary rates on 1 July 2012	Salary rates on 1 July 2013
APS 1	$42,779	$44,063
	$43,937	$45,256
	$45,745	$47,118
APS 2	$46,841	$48,247
	$49,395	$50,877
	$51,945	$53,504
APS 3	$54,740	$56,383
	$56,129	$57,813
	$57,583	$59,310
APS 4	$61,356	$63,197
	$62,950	$64,839
	$64,562	$66,499
APS 5	$66,325	$68,315
	$68,404	$70,457
	$70,330	$72,440
APS 6	$72,036	$74,198
	$75,867	$78,144
	$82,285	$84,754
EL 1	$91,831	$94,586
	$95,497	$98,362
	$99,161	$102,136
EL 2	$108,424	$111,677
	$111,736	$115,089
	$120,081	$123,684
	$121,079	$125,639
	$124,095	$127,818
	$127,264	$131,082

* Excludes casual employees

Appendix C: Freedom of information

The Freedom of Information Act 1982 does not apply to any request for access to documents of the Court unless the document relates to matters of an administrative nature. While there is no definition within this Act or the Privacy Act of the term 'matters of an administrative nature' the High Court decision in Kline v Official Secretary to the Governor-General and Another [2013] HCA 52 in their joint judgment considering this term pointed out:

[47]...the only documents which courts and specified tribunals, authorities and bodies are obliged to open to increase public scrutiny are those documents relating to the management and administration of registry and office resources.'

There were five Freedom of Information application requests made to the Court for the period 1 July 2015 to 30 June 2016.

Entities subject to the Freedom of Information Act 1982 are required to publish information to the public as part of the Information Publication Scheme. This requirement, in Part II of the Freedom of Information Act, has replaced the former requirement to publish a Section 8 Statement in an annual report.

An agency plan showing what information is published in accordance with the Information Publication Scheme requirements is accessible from entity websites.

The Freedom of Information and the Information Publication Scheme agency plan for the Federal Circuit Court can be found on the Federal Circuit Court website at www.federalcircuitcourt.gov.au

Access to information outside the Freedom of Information Act

Rule 2.08 of the Federal Circuit Court Rules 2001 provides that a search of the Court's records may be undertaken by: the Attorney-General (in family law proceedings), a party, a lawyer for a party, a child representative (in family law proceedings) or a person granted leave by the Court or a registrar. Leave may be granted if a proper interest is shown and may be subject to conditions. In relation to access to documents in general federal law proceedings, the Court applies the same rule as that prescribed by the Federal Court. This Rule identifies certain categories of court documents as being available for inspection without leave.

There are other legislative provisions which limit publication in various proceedings. For example: s121 Family Law Act 1975, s110X Child Support (Registration and Collection) Act 1988 and s91X of the Migration Act 1958. In addition Part 6A of the Federal Circuit Court of Australia Act 1999 gives the Court general power to suppress/prohibit publication of evidence in respect of general federal law provisions (Part XIA of the Family Law Act 1975 deals with suppression and non-publication orders in proceedings under that Act).

Enquiries concerning access to documents or freedom of information matters generally should be directed to:

Chief Executive Officer
Federal Circuit Court of Australia
GPO Box 9991
Canberra ACT 2601

Categories of documents

The registries of the Family Court and Federal Court maintain the following categories of documents on behalf of the Court:

• documents relating to matters heard by the Court including applications, affidavits, transcripts, orders and copies of judgments
• registers and indexes of matters coming to the Court, and
• general correspondence.

The Federal Circuit Court maintains the following categories of documents:

• general correspondence
• documents concerning the development and implementation of policy, guidelines and procedures, and
• documents concerning the Court's administrative and financial operations.

Other documents

The Court holds and makes available on request a range of documents including brochures, fact sheets and general information leaflets. These are available on the Court's website at www.federalcircuitcourt.gov.au

Privacy

The Court holds personal information for two purposes, being to:

• help resolve and, if necessary, determine matters before the Court (the judicial purpose), and/or
• assist in administration (the administrative purpose).

Information used for judicial purposes is held in case files and the case management computer system (Casetrack). This information is exempt from the Privacy Act 1988 and Freedom of Information Act 1982. Other statutory provisions and non-publication powers of the Court, designed to protect parties and their children, are applicable to this information.

Information used for administrative purposes is collected as part of the day-to-day running of the Court. This includes information about:

• employees of the Court
• suppliers of goods and services to the Court, and
• security matters.

The collection, storage and disclosure of this information is governed by the provisions of both the Privacy Act and the Freedom of Information Act.

Appendix D: Advertising and market research

Under section 311A of the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918, the courts are required to disclose particulars of payments of $12,700 or more (inclusive of GST) for advertising, market research, polling organisations, direct mail and media advertising.

The Family Court and Federal Circuit Court spent a total of $39,389 (GST inclusive) during the 2015–16 financial year in advertising and market research, comprising mainly payments to media advertising organisations for recruitment notices, with $27,039 (GST inclusive) paid to Dentsu Mitchell for recruitment advertising.

During 2015–16, the Family Court and Federal Circuit Court did not conduct any market research or advertising campaigns.

Appendix E: Ecologically sustainable development and environmental performance

The following information is provided in accordance with Section 516A of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act 1999.

Court activities and ecologically sustainable development

As noted in its Environmental Policy, the Court:

'...recognises the importance of implementing sound environmental practices in all court functions...'

This overarching commitment to ecologically sustainable development (ESD) was implemented in a number of ways by the Family Court and Federal Circuit Court during 2015–16.

Impacts on the environment

The Court impacts on the environment in a number of areas, primarily in the consumption of resources. Table E.1 lists environmental impact/usage data where available.

Table E.1: Family Court and Federal Circuit Court environmental impact/usage data, 2012–13 to 2015–16

	2012–13	2013–14	2014–15	2015–16
Energy usage privately leased sites (stationary)	6490 GJ (Giga joules)	6237 GJ	5383 GJ	Data not available until October 2016
Transport vehicles—energy usage	6100* GJ	6035 GJ	5871 GJ	6002 GJ
Transport flights (estimated)	3,101,516 kms 860 tonnes CO2	3,461,665 kms 962 tonnes CO2	2,843,969 kms 783** tonnes CO2	3,829,5970 kms Emissions report unavailable from new travel provider
Paper usage (office paper)	27,181 reams	23,964 reams	30,385 reams	33,872 reams

* this figure was originally reported as 6035 GJ. The correct figure is listed above.
** this figure does not include the emissions for 45,830 kms travelled under a new travel booking provider for the courts which commenced operation in May 2015 (emission figures not available at this time).

Measures to minimise the Court's environmental impact

Environmental Management System

The Court's Environmental Management System (EMS) has many of the key elements now in place including:

• an environmental policy outlining the Court's broad commitment to environmental management
• an environmental risk register identifying significant environmental aspects and impacts for the Court and treatment strategies to mitigate them
• an environmental legal register to identify any relevant environmental legal requirements for the Court (this register also includes other requirements such as applicable Australian Government policy requirements)
• an EMS manual outlining procedures for each element of the EMS, as well as summary information on each element, and
• a range of forms to accompany the EMS elements as required.

Other measures

During 2015–16, the Court worked within its EMS to minimise the environmental impact through a number of specific measures, either new or continuing, including:

Energy

• as noted in Table E.1 the 2015–16 data is not available until October 2016
• electricity contracts continued to be reviewed to ensure value for money. Energy supply contracts negotiated in recent years resulted in estimated savings of $15,000, and
• ongoing staff education to reduce energy use where possible, such as shutting down desktops and switching off lights and other electrical equipment when not in use.

Information technology

• in addition to the desktop auto shutdown program that commences at 7pm, staff continued to be encouraged to shut down their desktops as they leave work to maximise energy savings
• e-waste was recycled or reused where possible, including auctioning redundant but still operational equipment, and
• ensuring fully recyclable packaging where possible.

Paper

• most facsimile machines were set to email to reduce printing costs
• affidavits of 100 pages or more are no longer printed
• one sided paper was reused for notepaper in some registries
• clients are encouraged to use the online Commonwealth Courts Portal
• staff are encouraged to send emails rather than letters where feasible
• secure paper (confidential etc.) continued to be shredded and recycled for all court locations
• non-secure paper recycling was available at 19 sites, and
• most printers were set to default double sided printing and monochrome.

Waste/cleaning

• cleaning contracts for the Commonwealth Law Courts (via the Department of Finance who act as the lessor) and the majority of the privately leased sites came into effect in 2014. Provision for waste commingled recycling (such as non-secure paper, cardboard, recyclable plastics, metals and glass) forms a part of both contracts, with regular waste reporting included in the contract requirements for the privately leased sites
• printer toner cartridges continued to be recycled at the majority of sites
• recycling facilities for staff personal mobiles were permanently available at 11 sites
• electronic media (CDs, work mobiles etc.) continued to be securely shredded and components recycled where possible
• secure paper recycling was available at all sites, and
• fluorescent light globes continued to be recycled for all sites.

Corporate culture/communication

• the Court's Environmental Champions Network continued to offer the opportunity for staff to provide their input to environmental matters for the courts. The volunteer membership comprises 17 members representing 13 sites nationally. Projects in 2015–16 included:
  • Earth Hour
  • a national 'Transport Challenge', where staff earned points for walking, riding etc. or using public transport to go to and from work over a two week period, as well as for exercising (as an points option encouraging healthy behaviour for those who could not use alternative transport)
  • Christmas electronic equipment shutdown drive
  • Environmental Champions Network internal online national 'community' for interactive communication between members, and
  • an environmental management intranet page provided information on environmental issues for the courts
  • regular articles about the courts' environmental status were included in the national internal e-newsletter the Courts Exchange, and
  • a courts-specific 'envirosmart' logo was used as branding when promoting environmental initiatives.

Property

Fit outs and refurbishments continued to be conducted in an environmentally responsible manner by:

• recycling demolished materials where possible
• maximising reuse of existing furniture and fittings
• engaging consultants with experience in sustainable development where possible and including environmental performance requirements in relevant contracts
• maximising the use of environmentally friendly products such as recycled content in furniture and fittings, low volatile organic compounds paint and adhesives, and energy efficient appliances, lighting and air conditioning, and
• installing water efficie+nt appliances.

Travel

Whilst some travel is unavoidable, staff members are encouraged to consider alternatives if possible, including using videoconferencing facilities.

Review and improvement strategies

As noted in its Environmental Policy under the EMS, the Court is committed to 'continual improvement in environmental performance'. Reviews are periodically conducted of environmental impacts and improvement strategies.

In 2015–16 the Court:

• reviewed its environmental risk register (significant environmental aspects and impacts), and
• collected and reported relevant energy use data under the Energy Efficiency in Government Operations Policy.

Additional ecologically sustainable development implications

In 2015–16, the Court did not administer any legislation with ESD implications nor did it have outcomes specified in an Appropriations Act with ESD implications.

Appendix F: Fraud control certification

In accordance with the Commonwealth Fraud Control Framework 2014, issued by the Minister for Justice, pursuant to Section 10 of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Rule 2014, I hereby certify that I am satisfied that:

• the Family Court and Federal Circuit Court has prepared fraud assessments and has in place a fraud control plan that complies with the Guidelines.
• appropriate fraud prevention, detection, investigation and reporting procedures and processes are in place.
• annual fraud data has been collected and reported that complies with the Guidelines.

[Signed in Hard Copy]

WG Soden
Principal Registrar and Chief Executive Officer
Federal Court of Australia
 

Appendix G: Committees

Table G.1 provides details of the membership and functions of the Federal Circuit Court committees, at 30 June 2016.

Table G.1: Federal Circuit Court Committees 30 June 2016

Title	Members	Terms of Reference
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Access to Justice Committee	Judge Willis (Chair) Judge Sexton Judge Coates Judge Kelly Judge Terry Judge Kemp Judge Myers Judge Harland Judge Jones Judge Young Stewart Fenwick Rick Welsh (community representative) Josephine Akee (community representative)	How the Federal Circuit Court can improve access to justice in this court for Indigenous litigants.
Business Systems and Information Technology Committee	Judge Baumann Judge Jarrett Judge Purdon-Sully Judge Stewart Steve Agnew (Executive Director Operations) Stewart Fenwick (Director Administration) Bernadette Henderson (Associate) Amanda Morris (Case Management Officer) Paul Stace (Acting, Chief Information Officer)	To provide a forum for the Federal Circuit Court judiciary to review the operations of the Court with respect to business systems and information technology in order to ensure the Court operates as efficiently as is reasonably possible whilst providing a high level of judicial services to litigants.
Case Management Judges Committee	Judge Baumann (National Coordinator of Case Management) Judge Henderson Judge Riley Judge Cameron Judge Spelleken Judge Kelly Judge Terry Judge Dunkley Steve Agnew (Executive Director, Operations) Adele Byrne (Principal Registrar) Stewart Fenwick (Director Administration) Amanda Morris (Secretariat)	To assist the Chief Judge and the National Coordinator of Case Management in the case management of the Court and to enhance the adoption of consistent case management practices throughout the Court.
Legal Committee	Judge Brewster Judge Hartnett Judge Driver Judge Phipps Judge Hughes Judge Neville Judge Jones Judge Vasta Judge Smith Adele Byrne (Principal Registrar) Steve Agnew (Executive Director, Operations)	To consider and refer recommendations to the Chief Judge on possible rule amendments and wider legal issues concerning the Court's jurisdiction.
Policy Advisory Committee	Chief Judge Pascoe (Chair) Judge Mead Judge Baumann Judge Brewster Judge Coker Judge Emmett Judge Jarrett Judge Riethmuller Judge Willis Richard Foster (Chief Executive Officer) Steve Agnew (Executive Director, Operations) Adele Byrne (Principal Registrar) Stewart Fenwick (Secretariat)	To provide advice to the Chief Judge in relation to the Court's overall strategies and policies for the delivery of court services.
Research Ethics Subcommittee	Chief Judge Pascoe Judge Baumann Stewart Fenwick (Director, Administration)	To consider, monitor and overview all research and evaluation proposals for approval and disseminate research papers/results as necessary.

Senior Management Committees

Table G.2 provides details of the membership and functions of the senior management committees (alphabetical order), at 30 June 2016.

Table G.2: Senior management committees, 30 June 2016

Committee	Members	Terms of reference
Audit and Risk Committee	Brian Acworth (Chair, external member) Maria Storti (external member) Greg Thomas (Regional Registry Manager, South Australia and Northern Territory) Jamie Crew (Regional Registry Manager, Queensland) Observers Adrian Brocklehurst (Executive Director, Corporate and Chief Finance Officer) ANAO representatives (including KPMG) RSM Bird Cameron representatives RSM Bird Cameron also provide secretariat services	Monitor and where necessary recommend improvements to: Risk management identification and amelioration Internal control processes (including fraud control) The financial reporting process The functioning of the internal audit unit The external audit process Processes for monitoring compliance with legislation, regulations and government policy Maintain an effective working relationship with the ANAO.
Chief Executive Officer's Management Advisory Group	Richard Foster (Chief Executive Officer, Family Court and Federal Circuit Court) Steve Agnew (Executive Director, Operations, Federal Circuit Court) Adrian Brocklehurst (Executive Director, Corporate) Angela Filippello (Principal Registrar, Family Court) Adele Byrne (Principal Registrar, Federal Circuit Court) Jane Reynolds (Acting Principal Child Dispute Services) Regional Registry Managers Leisha Lister (Executive Officer, Family Court) Stewart Fenwick (Director of Administration, Federal Circuit Court) Claire Golding (Director, Human Resources) Paul Stace (Acting Chief Information Officer)	To provide operational and policy advice to the Chief Executive Officer regarding key areas that are likely to be affected by the integration of the administrations of the Family Court and the Federal Circuit Court.
National Consultative Committee	Chief Executive Officer's representative and Chair, Claire Golding (Director, Human Resources) Members are selected by vote and represent: Bernadette Henderson (Associate) Chris Cole (Client Services, major registries) Kevin Jenkins (Client Services, regional registries) Phillip Garrard (National Enquiry Centre) Matt Asquith (National Support Office) Dinh Tran (Registrar) Jane Morgan (Secretariat) A representative from the Community and Public Sector Union is also invited to attend	Consultative forum for staff about issues with a national perspective, such as industrial democracy, security, the strategic objectives of the courts, equal employment opportunities, new technology, accommodation and amenities, and personnel and staffing policies and practices. Delegates present staff views on issues that affect the management and future direction of the courts and provide feedback and briefings to the workplace nationally.
Work Health and Safety	Claire Golding (Director, Human Resources) (Chair) Adrian Brocklehurst (Executive Director, Corporate Services) Akasha Atkinson (National Property Manager) Brian Hartley (Health and Safety representative) Bernadette Henderson (First Aid Officer) Greg Johannesen (Registry Manager) Jane Morgan (Workforce and Policy Manager) Jaime Simons (Secretariat Work Health and Safety Advisor) Patrick Lamb (Director, Procurement and Risk) Sharon Briggs (Case Manager and Wellbeing Adviser)

Appendix H: External involvement

The Chief Judge, judges and the Chief Executive Officer participate in a range of consultative and strategic forums including the following:

Family Law Council

The Family Law Council, established by the Attorney-General under section 115 of the Family Law Act 1975, confers with the Court in the course of its consideration of particular aspects of family law. The Court has judges appointed to the council and senior executives as observers at its meetings.

Australian Institute of Family Studies

The Australian Institute of Family Studies was established under section 114B of the Family Law Act and is a forum for exchange of information and research.

Family Law Forum

The Chief Justice of the Family Court chairs the national Family Law Forum, which consists of representatives from the Family Court, Federal Circuit Court, the Family Law Council, the Family Law Section of the Law Council of Australia, National Legal Aid, the Attorney-General's Department, the Department of Social Services, Child Support, the Australian Institute of Family Studies, non-government organisations and community legal centres.

Community relations

Local registry consultations and other activities for improved service delivery

Ongoing engagement with local community-based organisations, community forums, law societies, family law pathway networks, volunteer networks, other government agencies, including many at the State level, was a priority of registries in 2015–16.

Regular consultation also provides registries with feedback about users' experiences of registry services and the courts. This leads to service improvements and ensures that the Court is better placed to assist litigants.

Some of the regional highlights from the year, reported in more detail below, include:

Victoria

Melbourne

• Regular liaison continued with the Family Law Section of the Law Institute of Victoria (via the monthly Court Practice Committee), the Family Law Section of the Victorian Bar and with the Victorian Legal Aid Commission (via meetings with relevant senior managers). Matters discussed included case management processes, the Court User Satisfaction Survey results, new Rules, the Court Reform Bill, registry services and facilities.
• The collaborative relationship between the federal family law jurisdictions and State child welfare authorities continued nationally. The initiative of a co-located child protection worker at the Melbourne and Dandenong registries was confirmed as ongoing by the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services following a positive evaluation completed by the Australian Institute of Family Studies. The vision was that working together with the dedicated focus of a specialist senior child protection practitioner would ensure professional, sensitive and well-targeted responses to children and young people who are at significant risk of harm. This work continued to be steered by a committee comprising the courts, the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services and Victoria Legal Aid.
• The Federal Circuit Court supported work on the Victorian Royal Commission recommendations with the view to improve responses to complex family cases by attendance at the Melbourne Magistrates Court Taskforce. Judge Bender is a member of this taskforce and attends with the regional Coordinator of Child Dispute Services.
• Support of Victoria Pathways has continued, including helping with the design of events and providing a venue for those events. The Victorian Regional Coordinator for Child Dispute Services is central to this support. Major events were hosted at Melbourne registry, including a forum on 'Mental Illness and Children in Family Law', and 'Engaging with Perpetrators of Family Violence'.

Dandenong

• Quarterly meetings were held with the registrar and the three agencies providing free legal advice at the registry. The purpose of the meetings is to exchange information about process changes and registry practices, particularly as they relate to self-represented litigants.
• Several meetings were held involving senior staff of the Department of Health and Human Services, Dandenong judges and senior registry staff. The meetings promote cooperation and facilitate the exchange of information to better protect the children involved in court disputes. An officer of the Department continues to work out of the registry one day each week.
• Quarterly meetings of community-based legal practitioners, local Family Relationship Centres, Victorian Family Pathways Network and other community-based dispute resolution services were held. It is a forum of service providers with a common client base, sharing information and discussing family dispute resolution issues and challenges to ensure that services are coordinated and responsive.
• Dandenong hosted a forum titled 'CALD and African-Australian communities within Family Law: Access and Equality from a Woman's Perspective' on 30 June 2016. The event was organised by the Victorian Family Law Pathways Network. A Federal Circuit Court judge was one of the experts on a panel to discuss how cultural differences impact the making of court orders, and what information needs to be given to the courts in order to achieve culturally appropriate responses.

Queensland

Brisbane

• Consultation with colleagues from the State Magistrates Court colleagues occurred in July and August 2015 regarding the development and implementation of a referral system for urgent matters from the Brisbane Magistrates Domestic Violence Court to the Brisbane registry.
• Continuing collaboration occurred with the State Magistrates Court in maximising the use of the Justice of the Peace (JP) service to the community through the respective courts. Presentations were conducted by Brisbane staff to volunteer JPs on 15 July 2015, 26 February 2016 and 19 May 2016. The presentations focused on the requirements for witnessing family law documents.
• Meetings between the courts, Legal Aid Queensland and the Queensland Department of Justice and Attorney-Generals were held to discuss the implementation of information exchange between the specialist domestic violence court pilot in Southport Magistrates Court and the Brisbane registry.
• A court tour and presentation to members of various local Relationships Australia offices and Golf Coast Family Law Pathways Network was held in October 2015.
• Meetings were held in October 2015 with local representatives of firms on the Interpreters and Translation Services Panel, following the signing of new Deeds of Understanding with the courts.
• Registry staff organised and conducted mock hearings for the Queensland University of Technology Bar Practice course.
• Staff participated in the Child Support Stakeholder Engagement Group conducted by the Department of Human Services.
• Ongoing consultation occurred with Crown Law and Queensland Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services regarding production of redacted subpoena material in court proceedings.
• Staff participated at the Annual Family Law Duty Lawyers stakeholders meeting in November 2015.
• Brisbane registry held regular meetings with local family law practitioners' associations, Legal Aid Queensland, and the Queensland Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services.
• Ongoing liaison occurred with local family law practitioners' associations such as Rockhampton, Lismore, Coffs Harbour, Pathways groups in circuit locations, the Women's Legal Service, the Child Support Stakeholders Engagement Group, and between Uniting Care post separation service providers and the courts' Child Dispute Services.

North Queensland

• Regular meetings were held with the North Queensland Domestic Violence Resource Service, the Family Law Pathways Network, the Family Relationship Centre (Centacare), and Relationships Australia, as well as ad hoc meetings with the profession and representatives from State government departments.
• The Family Law Pathways Network hosted the Legal and Community Sector Forum at the Townsville registry on 6 November 2015. Judge Coker was one of the guest speakers.
• The regional coordinator, Child Dispute Services, in partnership with the Family Law Pathways networks, conducted workshops in Townsville, Cairns, Rockhampton and Mackay on parental alienation, relocation and overnight stays for under three year olds.
• The registrar conducted a presentation to the profession on &aposPreparing for Financial Conferences&apos.

New South Wales

Sydney and Wollongong

• Key collaborative engagements in the Sydney registry continued in 2015–16, including:
  • Legal Aid Family Law Duty Service
  • Legal Aid Court Ordered Mediation Program
  • Information and Referral Service (provided by the Sydney City Family Relationship Centre), and
  • Women's Family Law Support Service.
• Judges held a forum with the legal profession to discuss issues about case management. Other liaison meetings with representatives of the Law Society, Bar Association and Legal Aid were held throughout the year including meetings with the Law Society and with representatives of the legal profession to further develop the partnership with the Family Law Settlement Service.
• The Women's Family Law Support Service continues to provide valuable support to women attending court in the Sydney registry. The service is provided by the Marrickville Women's Refuge and the liaison officer is in regular contact with the staff to provide support and assistance.
• Sydney registry participated in the Greater Sydney Family Law Pathways Network (FLPN) including community-based organisations and family relationship centres.
• Sydney registry hosted work experience students and provided supervision to law students.
• Commonwealth Courts Portal information and training sessions for lawyers were held in Sydney and Wollongong.
• Continuing Legal Education seminars were held approximately every two months for members of the legal profession.
• Sydney registry hosted judges and foreign delegates including:
  • a contingent of judges from Asia that attended the Commonwealth and Common Law International Family Justice Conference in late 2015
  • a delegation from Vanuatu including the Chief Registrar, Vanuatu Courts and representatives from the Island Courts, Supreme Court and Magistrates Court, and
  • Myanmar fellows undertaking a study tour of Australian courts.

Parramatta

Key collaborative engagements continued in 2015–16, and included the following:

• The NSW Legal Aid Court Ordered Mediation Program (COMP), which began as a pilot at Parramatta registry in 2011, continues to operate with one permanent full-time equivalent legal aid mediator onsite. Parties in children's matters may be referred (or ordered) to COMP at any stage of the litigation process if there is a connection to NSW Legal Aid. COMP has resulted in full or partial settlement for a majority of matters, saving a significant number of court days and legal aid funded days.
• NSW Legal Aid facilitated a mediation placement for one registrar, as part of a Graduate Diploma Family Dispute Resolution with the Institute of Family Practice. This permitted the registrar to work with mediation services, provided outside the Court.
• The Parramatta registry makes facilities available for the Aboriginal Legal Service (ALS) to provide duty solicitor services at the Court from 9am to 1pm, in relation to parenting matters. Solicitors also remain at court after these hours, should client service delivery require it. The ALS offers access to culturally appropriate early intervention assistance, expert advice and court representation in family law matters.
• There is ongoing liaison with the legal profession, judicial officers, and the registry management team. An extensive continuing legal education program was delivered titled '2016 Young Lawyers Professional Skills Series' and collaboration with the NSW Law Society regarding the Family Law Settlement Service.
• Registrars, family consultants and management participated in education and networking events arranged by the Greater Sydney FLPN including a steering group meeting and inter-agency events.
• The senior family consultant continued to facilitate Family Relationship Centre staff attendance at court, as part of Family Relationship Centre training and familiarisation.
• The registry manager in collaboration with a Western Sydney University Adjunct Professor (a former Family Court judge) provided a significant number of briefings to Western Sydney secondary schools, local TAFE and Western Sydney University students.
• Child Dispute Services provided a three month supervised placement for a fourth year social work student from Monash University. The placement involved a research task involving a literature review on the topic, 'The applicability of Trauma-Informed and Child-Focussed Practice to Family Consultant Interventions'.
• Registrars and the registry manager presented at several conferences including the family law conference, the AIJA conference and at a NSW Vietnamese Women's Association information session.
• The registry hosted foreign delegation visits from a Japanese judge, a senior court administrator, Malaysian Legal Aid and the Child Support Agency from the Republic of Korea.

Newcastle

• Judges and staff held quarterly meetings with members of the legal profession.
• Regular meetings were held between senior registry staff and members of the Hunter Valley Family Law Practitioners Association. These meetings facilitated discussion and the exchange of information on issues relevant to the registry and the legal profession.
• Child Dispute Services attended the Greater Newcastle FLPN meetings and presentations. Judges presented at a FLPN event on Indigenous issues.
• Child Dispute Services met with Interrelate staff at Port Macquarie and Centacare staff.
• Judges and registrars continued to assist the Hunter Valley Family Law Practitioners Association with the preparation for and presentation of the annual Hunter Valley Family Law Conference.
• Regular lunchtime seminars were held for members of the legal profession, with judges, registrars, barristers, lawyers and special guest speakers presenting on a range of topics.
• The registry hosted visits from students from the University of Newcastle as part of their family law training program, as well as high school students conducting mock trials.

Dubbo

• The Dubbo family consultant participates in the NSW Central West FLPN which provides a bi-monthly forum for family law professionals in the NSW Central West region. The forum is held via video-link between Dubbo and Bathurst.
• Circuiting judges to Dubbo registry (from Parramatta registry) regularly spoke at the Central West lawyer continuing legal education events.
• Staff hosted two Commonwealth Courts Portal instructional sessions with the Central West legal profession.

Australian Capital Territory

Canberra

• The senior family consultant was awarded a Churchill Fellowship to undertake research and investigate and evaluate the use of structured assessment methodologies in family law matters and in particular, structured approaches for assessing parents and children.
• The registry provided Commonwealth Courts Portal training to practitioners and their support staff in September 2015.
• The registry manager and a judge met with students undertaking legal studies and the registry hosted visits from students competing in the Philip C Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition and Bond University High School Mooting Competition.
• The registrar and registry staff met with two Muslim legal aid liaison officers to provide information about the Court and court processes and discuss referrals.
• Judges, registry staff, in particular the registrar, continued to be involved in a number of community activities including:
  • meetings with Relationships Australia
  • participation in the ACT Family Law Pathways Network
  • attending meetings with the Office for Children, Youth and Family Support about exchange of information, and
  • meetings with the Women's Legal Centre, Family Law Committee and ACT Legal Aid.
• The registrar attended a workshop on Domestic Violence on the topic 'The Legal Services Challenge' run by the Business and Industry Engagement on Domestic Violence Project.
• The senior family consultant presented at a domestic violence conference hosted by ACT FLPN.

South Australia

Adelaide

• Continued active involvement in the Child Support Stakeholder Engagement Program, Community Stakeholders Engagement Group, Pathways, Family Relationship Centres and Children's Contact Services (including regional contact centres).
• Progressed the meetings and information sharing with the South Australian Reconciliation Action Plan Consultative Committee.
• Conducted guided tours for professionals working in the family law system for a 'lived experience' of what it is like for clients to go to court.
• Visits to the Legal Services Commission, allowing staff the opportunity to meet with Commission staff and familiarise themselves with the operations of the Legal Services Commission.
• Information sessions to law students from the University of South Australia and the University of Adelaide. Students also visited the registry as part of the universities' family law training programs.
• Involvement in the South Australian Police call centre staff training. The registry provided call centre participants with information in relation to the work of the courts and where to refer clients for advice.
• Attending and offering support to the South Australian Government's High Tech Challenge which is developing IT programs in relation to the prevention of violence against women.
• Cultural awareness training was conducted in conjunction with a local interpreter and translation company. Staff had the opportunity to gain a better understanding of working with interpreters and appreciate some of the barriers experienced with language and cultural differences for CALD clients working with the Court system.
• Facilitated the South Australian biannual Pathways Chief Executive Officer briefing.
• In conjunction with the SA FLPN, professional staff are involved in piloting the Young People's Family Law Advisory Group.
• Participated in the South Australian Living Arts festival. In conjunction with the Federal Court, the Adelaide registry co-hosted an Indigenous art exhibition presented by Seymour College. This exhibition created a learning environment for students and the wider community by presenting traditional and contemporary artworks by Indigenous peoples.
• Initiated an electronic database as a communication tool for the South Australian Magistrates Court in relation to obtaining copies of Family Court and Circuit Court orders in relation to children when an Intervention Order action is underway in the state jurisdiction.

Northern Territory

Darwin

• The registry continued their active involvement with a range of stakeholder groups including Pathways, Family Relationships Centre Consortium Group, local Indigenous Group and the legal profession.
• The registry staff conducted a 'Walk in their Shoes' information session for members of the Family Pathways Network.
• Judge Young and registry staff met with the Department of Children and Families and Northern Territory Legal Aid Commission.

Alice Springs

• Judge Young met with the Family Pathways Network and conducted Continuing Learning Education sessions for the legal practitioners.

Tasmania

• The Tasmania Family Violence Consultative Committee forum is convened biannually and includes members of the community sector, Department of Justice (Safe at Home), Department of Health and Human Services, Tasmania Police and the Family Court and Federal Circuit Court. The forum is convened by the Senior Family Consultant and is arranged in Hobart with video link to Launceston. Discussions have included: the impact of family violence on children and their developing brain; the Family Law Council's interim report on the interaction of family law and child protection systems; the Safe Home, Safe Families: Tasmania's Family Violence Action Plan 2015–2020; and the cross examination of vulnerable witnesses.
• The registrar convenes and chairs quarterly meetings between the courts, Child Protection and Legal Aid Commission Tasmania to raise new developments, discuss stakeholder concerns and review the informal protocol between the courts and Child Protection.
• The registrar delivered a lecture to family law students at the University of Tasmania Law School and family consultants delivered a presentation to the Tasmanian Young Lawyers Group.
• The registry actively supports the southern, northern and north west Family Law Pathways Groups.

Appendix I: Judge activities

Acronyms used in Appendix I

AAWJ

Australian Association of Women Judges

AFCC

Association of Family and Conciliation Courts

AIFJ

Association of International Family Judges

AIJA

Australian Institute of Judicial Administration

CCH

Commerce Clearing House

CLE

Continuing Learning Education

FLPA

Family Law Practitioners Association

IAWJ

International Association of Women Judges

IARLJ

International Association of Refugee Law Judges

LAWASIA

Law Association for Asia and the Pacific

QLS

Queensland Law Society

QPILCH

Queensland Public Interest Law Clearing House Incorporated

Welcome Ceremonial Sittings for 2015–16

Judge Anthony Young	31 July 2015
Judge Stephen Middleton	24 November 2015
Judge Phillip Dowdy	7 December 2015
Judge Joshua Wilson	21 December 2015
Judge Timothy Heffernan	22 December 2015
Judge Elizabeth Boyle	6 April 2016
Judge Jillian Williams	7 April 2016
Judge Alister McNab	31 May 2016
Judge Brana Obradovic	3 June 2016

Farewell Ceremonial Sittings for 2015–16

Judge Denys Simpson 8 November 2015

Judge Stuart Roberts 19 June 2016

Conferences, presentations, papers and other activities to external organisations

Chief Judge John Pascoe AC CVO

Professional memberships

• Judicial Conference of Australia
• LawAsia, Family Law and Family Rights Section
• International Association for Court Administration
• Association of International Family Judges

Conferences

• Australian Parliamentary Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs Inquiry into Surrogacy, Canberra, 4 February 2016
• Association of Family and Conciliation Courts, Sydney, 13–15 August 2015
• Far North Queensland Family Law Pathways Network, Cairns, 11 September 2015
• The Third Children's Issues Forum, Hong Kong, 13–14 November 2015
• International Judicial Forum, Cambodia, 12–14 January 2016
• Hague Conference on Private International Law, Expert Group on the Parentage/Surrogacy Project, The Hague, The Netherlands, 15–18 February 2016

Presentations

• Spirituality in the Pub, 'Creating Life – choices and implications', Sydney, 1 July 2015
• 9th Annual Family Law Conference, Television Education Network, 'Categories of Family Violence –The Way They Impact Orders', Queensland, 23–24 July 2015
• Association of Family and Conciliation Courts, Australian Chapter, Building Bridges, A Multidisciplinary Approach to Family Law, 'The Future of Family Law in Australia', Sydney, 14 August 2015
• Law Institute of Victoria, 'All in the Family' event, Melbourne, 26 August 2015
• LegalWise 5th Annual International Family Law Conference, 'Assisting Indigenous Litigants to Access the Family Law System' and 'Domestic Violence and Australian Family Courts', Queenstown New Zealand, 31 August – 3 September 2015
• International Bar Association Annual Conference, 'The legal pitfalls of international surrogacy: The need for international regulation of surrogacy arrangements. Freedom, Rights, and Duties', Vienna, Austria, 4–9 October 2015, paper presented by Judge Willis
• International Justice Mission Australia, Keynote Speaker, 'Child sexual exploitation, cyber exploitation, and child trafficking', Sydney, 8 October 2015
• Commonwealth and Common Law Conference, commentator for session, 'Forced marriage, human trafficking and slavery like practices in Australia', Sydney, 16–19 November 2015
• Prince of Wales Alumni Meeting, Speaker, 'The many faces of child abuse and exploitation', Sydney, 5 December 2015
• Launch of the Fifth Edition of 'The Practitioner's Guide to Family Law', NSW Young Lawyers Family Law Committee, Sydney, 13 April 2016
• Occasional speaker for graduation ceremony, 'Early Childhood and Special Education', Macquarie University, 21 April 2016
• American Bar Association, Section of Family Law, 2016 Spring Conference, US Constitutional Federalism (US full faith and credit – international comity as to recognition of foreign judgments/documents is the best solution) vs Unified national law (A Hague convention among member states is the best solution and Public vs Private Law: promote individual rights/ autonomy vs Government 'intrusion' is required to protect the vulnerable, Bahamas, paper presented by Michael Wells-Greco, Geneva Switzerland, 11–14 May 2016
• International Academy of Family Lawyers Symposium, International Surrogacy Arrangements. The interface between domestic and international law. The move for rationalisation and emerging practices – 'A Child's Right to Know: A Judicial View', Hong Kong, 9 June 2016
• 6th Family Law and Children's Rights Conference 2016, 'International Surrogacy Arrangements and the Right to Know', Hong Kong, 9–11 June 2016

Judge Baumann AM

Professional memberships

• Judicial Conference of Australia
• Queensland Law Society

Conferences

• Judicial Conference of Australia Colloquium 9–11 October 2015

Presentations

• Law Society 30th Family Law Residential 2015, 'Overnights for under threes: Research questions and practical answers', Queensland, 16–18 July 2015
• LegalWise Seminars 5th Annual International Family Law Conference, 'Greatest and Latest Parenting Cases' and 'Ethics Hypothetical', Queenstown, New Zealand, 31 August – 3 September 2015
• Women's Legal Service, Guest Speaker, 'Domestic Violence and the Family Courts – Decision Making in Context', Queensland, 10 September 2015
• Family Law Bar Association Conference, 'The Modern Family, Engaging the Modern Lawyer, Appearing in the Modern Court, Before the Modern Judge', United Kingdom, 7 May 2016
• Robina Community Legal Centre fundraiser breakfast, Gold Coast, 20 May 2016
• The Australian Institute of Judicial Administration Incorporate, 'Improving Court Practice in Family Violence Cases Conference', Melbourne, 16 June 2016

External activities

• Law Society Specialist Accreditation Christmas Breakfast, Queensland, 11 December 2015
• Training judges from Singapore and New Zealand, 'Judge Led Case Management Australian Style', 19–23 October 2015
• Law Society 'Past, Present and Future Presidents' Dinner', Queensland, 17 November 2015
• Meeting with Lord Bracadale and Lord Woolman in to discuss case management systems' Edinburgh, 27 April 2016
• Training of judges, 'Family Justice Courts of Singapore', Singapore, 12, 13 and 16 May 2016

Judge Coker

Conferences

• North Queensland Law Association Conference, Mackay, May 2016

Presentations

• Forensic Family Assessments Training, presentation to psychologists, James Cook University, 'What Judges look for in family reports: What Judges look for in expert witnesses', Brisbane, March 2016
• North Queensland Law Association Conference, Speaker, 'The Grandparent Dilemma: 'Thank God', 'Oh God', 'My God' and finally, 'Where did that come from', Mackay, May 2016

External activities

• Assist with James Cook University Advocacy Course, Brisbane, July 2015
• Address Mackay Children's Contact Service, Mackay, September 2015
• Address North Queensland Family Law Pathways Network Legal and Community Sector Forum, Townsville, November 2015
• Tour of Children's Contact Service, Relationships Australia, Townsville, March 2016
• Host National Reconciliation Week morning tea, Townsville, June 2016

Judge Driver

Professional memberships

• International Association of Refugee Law Judges
• Judicial Conference of Australia
• Australian Institute of Judicial Administration
• New South Wales Bar Association
• Law Council of Australia

Conferences

• International Association of Refugee Law Judges African Chapter Regional Conference, Morocco, 23–27 November 2015
• International Association of Refugee Law Judges Asia-Pacific Regional Conference, Seoul, 6–11 June 2016

Facilitating

• Judicial Education Training, Sydney, 29 January 2016
• Law Council meeting, Sydney, 17 March 2016

External activities

• Attended, panel discussion on Syrian Refugee Crisis, Allens, Sydney, 14 September 2015
• Association of Child Welfare Agencies program launch, Sydney, 11 February 2016
• Attended, seminar on War Crimes in Bosnia, University of NSW, 8 March 2016

Judge Roberts

Professional memberships

• Family Law Section, Law Council of Australia
• Judicial Conference of Australia
• LEADR Association of Dispute Resolvers

Conferences

• Independent Children's Lawyers' Conference, Launceston, 21 August 2015
• Family Law Practitioners of Tasmania Conference, Launceston, 22 August 2015
• Britain Pacific Legal Conference, London, 2–9 January 2016
• Northern Territory Law Society Family Law Conference, Darwin, 21–22 January 2016
• Family Law Practitioners of Tasmania Conference, Hobart, 7 May 2016

External activities

• Family Law Practitioners, Burnie, 18 May 2015
• Family Law Practitioners, Launceston, 28 May 2015
• Regular informal meetings throughout the year with the President of the Family Law Practitioners Association of Tasmania

Judge Phipps

Presentations

• Victorian Family Law Pathways Network, Kiosk, presentation to students, 17 May 2016
• Monthly talk to law students, Family Law Assistance Program Monash University

External activities

• Peninsula Lawyers, Family Law, Liaison Dinner, May 2016
• NAIDOC WEEK, Dandenong and District Aborigines Cooperative community open day
• Quarterly Liaison with Department of Health and Human Services, Dandenong

Judge Jarrett

Professional memberships

• Chair, Committee for the Implementation for the International Framework for Court Excellence
• Federal Circuit Court Business Processes and Information Technology Committee
• Federal Circuit Court Associates' Workload Working Group

Facilitating

• Coordinator for Federal Circuit Court Queensland University of Technology Internship Program, Brisbane
• International Conference on Court Excellence Singapore, 25–29 January 2016
• FLPA Twilight Seminar presenter, 'Great Expectations: An evening with Judge Jarrett', Brisbane, 2 July 2015

External activities

• Editor, Reports, Queensland Lawyer, Thomson Reuters

Judge Riethmuller

Professional memberships

• Law Council of Australia, Family Law Section
• Judicial Conference of Australia

Conferences

• 5th Annual International Family Law Conference, New Zealand, 31 August – 3 September 2015
• AFCC Australian Chapter, 'Innovations in Family Law', Melbourne, 24 March 2016

Presentations

• Law via the Internet, Sydney, 9–11 November 2015
• Obligations Group Conference 2015 'Equity', Panel Chair, Melbourne Law School 3–4 December 2015
• Pre-nuptial Speech, Melbourne University, 9 March 2016
• CPD for the Insolvency Section of CommBar, 'Recent Developments in Bankruptcy', Panel Member, 12 May 2016
• Junior Family Law Working Group advocacy session, 15 May 2016

External activities

• Foreword, 'Migration Law – Annotated Migration Act and Legislation', Thomson Rueters
• Article, 'Deciding Parenting Cases under Part VII – 42 easy steps', (2015) 25 Australian Family Lawyer 38, Law Council of Australia
• Article, 'The inutility of the legislative pathway in some (perhaps many) cases', (2016) 25 Australian Family Lawyer 3, Law Council of Australia
• Article, 'Improving the use of court decisions in the Federal Circuit Court' (2016) 25 Journal of Judicial Administration 167, Thomson Rueters

Judge Sexton

Professional memberships

• Women Lawyers Association
• International Women Judges Association, member of the Australian and International Chapters
• AFCC, Member of International and Australian Chapters
• Committee Member, Federal Circuit Court, Indigenous Access Committee
• Chairperson, Federal Circuit Court Continuing Legal Education Committee

Conferences

• International Association of Women Judges, 13th Biennial Conference, Washington, USA, 26–29 May 2016

Presentations

• NSW College of Law, Advanced Family Law Day, 'The law relating to add backs and the impact of the High Court decision in Stanford & Stanford', Sydney, 22 August 2015

Facilitating

• Federal Circuit Court Continuing Legal Education Seminar, Family Violence, 26 November 2015

External activities

• Committee Member, Law Society of NSW, Family Issues Committee
• Member, Association of Family and Conciliation Conference Courts Australian Chapter
• A number of external meetings with members of the Aboriginal community inside and outside the Court, 2015–16
• International Women's Day event, 8 March 2016
• Hosting and meeting with Unifam Counsellors, Federal Circuit Court, 24 June 2016
• Talk to Seymour College, 'Surrogacy in Australia', Adelaide, 14 October 2015

Judge Lapthorn

Professional memberships

• Family Law Council of Australia
• Judicial Conference of Australia
• Australian Institute of Judicial Administration
• Association of International Family Judges
• Association of Family and Conciliation Courts
• Family Law Section of the Law Council of Australia
• Bar Association of Queensland
• New South Wales Bar Association

Presentations

• Hunter Valley Family Law Practitioners Association Annual Conference, 'Practical Guide to Relocation Cases', Newcastle, Hunter Valley, 31 July 2015 and 1 August 2015
• Learned Friends Conference, 'Surrogacy and the Concept of Parentage in Family Law', Berlin, 14–21 September 2015
• Gold Coast Family Law Pathways Network Workshops, 'Conversations regarding the specialist Domestic Violence Court and the interrelations with Family Law Courts and Child Protection', Bond University, Gold Coast, 5 November 2015

Judge Hughes

Professional memberships

• Judicial Conference of Australia

Presentations

• Canberra Region Family Law Professionals Association, member of an Ethics Panel Discussion, Canberra, 12 November 2015
• National Family Violence Summit, Canberra, 17–19 March 2016

Judge Burchardt

Professional memberships

• Association of International Refugee Law Judges
• Maritime Law Association of Australia and New Zealand
• The Industrial Bar Association
• Intellectual Property Committee of the Law Council of Australia
• International Society of Family Law
• International Academy of Family Lawyers Membership

Conferences

• Comité Maritime International 2016 Conference, Building Bridges for Uniformity of Maritime Law, New York, 3 May 2016

Presentations

• Mental Illness and Children within Family Law Forum, Melbourne, 3 December 2015
• La Trobe University Law School Alumni Breakfast Event, Melbourne, 8 April 2016

Papers

• The Higher Education Industrial Association HR/IR Conference, 'The role of the Federal Circuit Court: The Court and its work. A review of recent High Court decisions', Darwin, May 2016

External activities

• Law Institute Victoria, Courts and Media Forum, Melbourne, 11 December 2015

Judge Cameron

Professional memberships

• NSW Law Society, Honorary Judicial Member
• International Bar Association

Conferences

• International Bar Association Annual Conference, Vienna, Austria, October 2015

Judge Altobelli

Professional memberships

• Judicial Member, Law Society of NSW
• Family Law Section, Law Council of Australia
• Family Issues Committee, Law Society of NSW
• Association of Family and Conciliation Courts
• Australian Institute of Judicial Administration

Presentations

• Family Law Section Family Law Intensive, Sydney, February 2016
• The University of NSW Family Law Advocacy and Practice, Sydney, February 2016
• Legal Aid Child Representation Conference, 'Same families, different courts – new approaches – a Q and A', Wollongong, March 2016
• International Women's Day, Wollongong, March 2016
• Family Law Section Family Law Intensive, Perth, March 2016
• South Coast Pathways Dinner, Nowra, May 2016
• Family Law Section Family Law Intensive, Melbourne, May 2016
• Local Court Annual Conference, Sydney, June 2016
• Pathways, Townsville, June 2016

External activities

• Member, Editorial Boards, Australian Journal of Family Law, Australasian Journal of Dispute Resolution
• Programs Advisory Committee, National Judicial College of Australia

Judge Coates

Professional memberships

• Bar Association of Queensland
• Judicial Conference of Australia
• The Australasian Institute of Judicial Administration
• Commonwealth Magistrates' and Judges' Association
• Academy of European Law
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Access to Justice Committee

Presentations

• Court Expectations and Etiquette, Hervey Bay, November 2015

Conferences

• Summer Course on Alternative Dispute Resolution, Trier, Germany, June – July 2015
• Commonwealth Magistrates' and Judges' Association 17th Annual Triennial Conference, 'Independent Judiciaries, Diverse Societies', Wellington, New Zealand, September 2015
• 28th LawAsia Conference, Sydney, November 2015
• The Australian Institute of Judicial Administration, A Symposium: Challenges of Social Media for Courts and Tribunals, Melbourne, May 2016
• 6th Family Law and Children's Rights Conference, LawAsia, Hong Kong, June 2016

External activities

• National Indigenous Justice Committee, Queensland, Australia
• National Reconciliation Week, Brisbane, June 2016

Judge Spelleken

Conferences

• IAWJ 13th Biennial International Conference, Washington DC USA, 25–29 May 2016

Judge Kelly

Professional memberships

• Law Society of South Australia
• Women Lawyers Association
• Australian Association of Women Judges
• Family Law Section, Law Council of Australia
• Judicial Conference of Australia
• National Judicial College of Australia, South Australia Committee
• Australian Association of Judicial Administration

Conferences

• International Association of Women Judges Conference, Washington USA, 25–29 May 2016

Presentations

• CLE, Chair session 'Relocation in Family Law Matters', Alice Springs, 13 July 2015
• Law Society of SA, Chair Session: Recent Developments in Family, Adelaide, 29 July 2015
• Women's Legal Service, 20th Anniversary, guest speaker, Adelaide 28 November 2015
• Family Law Update, Law Society of SA, Continuing Professional Development Panel Member, Adelaide, 12 February 2016
• Aboriginal Family Law Pathways Roadshow with Judge Myers, Broken Hill, 25 February 2016
• Law Society of South Australia, Chair, 'Changing a Child Support Assessment', Adelaide, 12 April 2016
• Chair, 'Latest and Greatest', Law Society of SA, Continuing Professional Development, Adelaide, 27 April 2016

Judge Neville

Presentations

• Canberra Region Family Law Professionals Association, 'Advocacy: Tips and Traps', Wagga Wagga, 1 March 2016

Judge Kemp

Professional memberships

• International Bar Association

Conferences

• Annual Whitmore Lecture, 'Whitmore and the Americans', delivered by the Honourable Justice Stephen Gageler, Federal Court, Sydney, 19 May 2015
• Affinity Intercultural Foundation, Parliament of NSW, Sydney, members of NSW Parliament Ramadan Dinner 2015, Sydney, 26 June 2015
• 2015 Best for Kids Website launch, NSW Attorney-General, 'Providing information for children, young people and their carers', NSW Legal Aid, 18 August 2015
• International Bar Association, Vienna, 6–10 October 2015
• Sydney University, Professor Tom Oldham and the Honourable Stephen O'Ryan Property Symposium, Sydney, 10 December 2015
• Anglo-Australasian Lawyers Society, Professor Anne Twomey, 'An Australian Republic Bridging the gap between what is wise and desired', Sydney, 17 February 2016
• Law Council of Australia, launch of the joint business Law Section and the International Law Section of the Law Council of Australia/International Bar Association Committee, Dibbs Barker, Sydney, 13 April 2016

Presentations

• University of NSW, Family Law update, Grace Hotel, Sydney, 9 March 2016

Judge Howard

Professional memberships

• LawAsia, Chair, Coordinating Committee, Judicial Section
• President, Executive Committee, Law Alumni Queensland University of Technology
• Australasian Institute of Judicial Administration
• Bar Association of Queensland, Judicial Member
• Judicial Conference of Australia

Conferences

• 17th European Conference on Developmental Psychology, Braga, Portugal, 8–12 September 2015
• 28th LawAsia Conference, Sydney, 6–9 November 2015
• 6th LawAsia Family Law and Children's Rights Conference 2016, Hong Kong, 9–11 June 2016

Presentations

• 28th LawAsia Conference, Chair of Judicial Session, 'Judicial Forum 1: Interaction between the judiciary and the other branches of government' and 'Judicial Forum 2: Procedural Fairness', Sydney, 7 November 2015
• LawAsia 6th Family Law and Children's Rights Conference, Chair of Judge's Forum, 'Family Law jurisdictions – Panel discussion', Hong Kong, 10 June 2016

Judge Purdon-Sully

Professional memberships

• Queensland Law Society, Honorary member
• International Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers
• Australasian Institute of Judicial Administration
• Judicial Conference of Australia
• Multicultural Youth Empowerment Strategy (M-YES)
• Association of Family and Conciliation Courts
• Australian Association of Women Judges
• Women Lawyers Association of Queensland

Conferences

• LawAsia 6th Family Law and Children's Rights Conference, Hong Kong, 9–11 June 2016
• Chairperson of IAML Hague Subcommittee teleconference meeting, 6 April 2016
• Chairperson of IAML Hague Subcommittee teleconference meeting, 16 May 2016

Presentations

• Indigenous students as part of National Reconciliation Week, 3 June 2016
• Co-host, National Reconciliation Week event, hosted by Judge Coates, 3 June 2016
• Independent Children's Lawyer training event, Family Law Section of the Law Council and Legal Aid Queensland, 'Perspective from the Bench', 20 November 2016

External activities

• Attendance, Australian Academy of Law Public Lecture, 'The Province of an Independent Legal Profession' presented by Mr Walter Sofronoff QC, 18 June 2015
• Attendance, Law Year Church Service, The Greek Orthodox Church of St George, Brisbane, 3 August 2015
• Attendance, Supreme Court Library subcommittee meeting, 13 August 2015
• Attendance, Women Lawyers Association of Queensland dinner, 30 October 2015
• Attendance, Supreme Court Library subcommittee meeting, 5 November 2015
• Attendance, Supreme Court Library exhibition launch 'In Freedom's Cause, The Queensland Legal Profession and the Great War', 18 February 2016
• Attendance, 10th year celebration of Justice Collier's appointment as a Federal Court Judge, 4 February 2016
• Attendance, QLD Law Society Legal Profession Dinner, 19 February 2016
• Attendance, Annual General Meeting of M-YES, 20 February 2016
• Attendance, FLPA celebration for the Appointment of the Honourable Justice Carew to the Family Court, 26 May 2016
• Meeting with Dr Jacoba Brasch QC and Ms Katherine McMillan QC of the QLD Bar Association regarding assistance for self-represented litigants, 2 June 2016
• Attendance at Supreme Court Library 2016 Oration event, Deputy Chief Justice Dikgang Moseneke, Banco Court, 13 June 2016

Judge Cassidy

Professional memberships

• Bar Association of Queensland
• Women Lawyers Association of Queensland
• International Academy of Law and Mental Health
• Judicial Conference of Australia

Conferences

• East West Medical and Legal Conference, Berlin, July 2015
• International Academy of Law and Mental Health, Vienna, July 2015
• Judicial Use of 'Outside' Knowledge and Expert Evidence Symposium, Brisbane, 7 August 2015
• Hellenic Australian Lawyers Association Seminar 'Embracing Diversity in the Law – Solutions and Outcomes', Brisbane, 10 June 2016

Presentations

• Central Queensland Law Association Conference, 'A Practical Approach to Contravention, Contempt and Enforcement Applications' Rockhampton, 17 October 2015
• 'Meet the Judges' Seminar, Queensland Bar Association, 'Advocacy and Etiquette', Brisbane, 10 November 2015

Judge Bender

Professional memberships

• Association of Family and Conciliation Courts
• Australian Association of Women Judges
• International Association of Women Judges
• Family Violence Committee Member

Conferences

• Conference of International Association of Women Judges, Washington, 27–29 May 2016
• Conference of Association of Family and Conciliation Courts, Seattle, 1–4 June 2016

Facilitating

• COAG Advisory Panel, 'Reducing Violence against Women and their Children', Melbourne, December 2015

External activities

• Family Violence Taskforce Committee Member, Magistrates Court of Victoria
• Legal Service Board Project Group Member, Court Network

Judge Demack

Professional memberships

• Association of International Family Judges
• Bar Association of Queensland
• Australian Association of Women Judges
• Family Law Practitioners Association
• Family Law Section of the Law Council of Australia

Conferences

• Child Protection Practitioners Association of Queensland, Brisbane, 24 November 2015

External activities

• Advocacy Workshop (FLPA), 23 October 2015
• QLS Presentation Dinner, 19 February 2016

Judge McGuire

Presentations

• Junior Family Lawyers Working Group, 'Preparation for Final and Interim Hearings', Melbourne, 30 October 2015
• Victorian Bar Association, 'Practicing in Family Law in a high volume court', Melbourne, 8 December 2015
• Northern Territory Law Society, Family Law Conference, 'The Rule of Law', Darwin, 20–22 January 2016
• Family Law Practitioners, 2016 State Conference, panel member, Hobart, 7 May 2016

Judge Dunkley

Professional memberships

• Family Law Section, Law Council of Australia

Presentations

• Legal Aid South Australia, 'Advocacy at Interim Hearings, 16 October 2015
• Chair, Family Law Intensive, Family Law Section, Law Council of Australia, 13 February 2016
• Toongabbie Legal Centre, 'Do caveats have any place in family law disputes?' Toongabbie, 20 February 2016
• NSW Bar Association, CPD Conference, 'Self-represented Litigants', Parramatta 12 March 2016
• Law on the Lounge, Let It Snow, The Nightmare on George Street, Bali, 3–5 June 2016

Judge Baker

Professional memberships

• Australian Institute of Family Law Arbitrators and Mediators, Board Member

Presentations

• College of Law, Legal Practice students, Hobart, March 2016
• Family Law Practitioners 2016, State Conference, Panel Member 'Current Ethics Issues', Hobart, 7 May 2016
• Law Society Family Law Arbitration Seminar, Panel Member, Hobart, June 2016
• Moot Court, 'Presiding over interim hearings for Legal Practice', University of Tasmania, May 2016

Judge Monahan

Professional membership

• International Bar Association
• Association of International Family Judges
• Association of Family and Conciliation Courts
• Law Council of Australia, Family Law Section
• Law Society of NSW, Judicial member

Conferences

• International Bar Association Annual Conference, Vienna, Austria, 4–9 October 2015
• Association of Family and Conciliation Courts Annual Conference, Seattle USA, 1–4 June 2016

Presentations

• 'Blurred lines: What does it mean to be a lawyer?', Showcase sermon, International Bar Association Annual Conference, Vienna, Austria, 7 October 2015

External activities

• Judge's forum, International Bar Association, Vice Chair
• Family Law Review, Thomson Reuters Australia, Editorial Board, ongoing and Editor, Recent Cases, ongoing

Judge Cole

Professional memberships

• Judicial Conference of Australia
• Law Society of South Australia
• Law Society of Western Australia
• Australian Institute of Judicial Administration
• Association of International Family Judges
• Family Law Practitioners Association WA and QLD
• Family Law Council, Family Law Section

Conferences

• Family Justice Young People's Board, The Voice of the Child Conference 2015, The Work of the Children's Committee, London, 23 July 2015
• AFCC Australian Conference, Sydney, 14–15 August 2015
• FLPA WA Conference, Perth, 11–13 September 2015
• Family Court of WA Conference, Perth, 18–20 November 2015
• NT Law Society Family Law, Darwin, 20–22 January 2016
• Children's Committee Meeting, Sydney, 20 February 2016
• Family Law Conference, Bali, 6–10 June 2016

Presentations

• Legal Aid Seminar, Proceedings and Preparation, Adelaide, 16 October 2015
• Convenor, NT Law Society Family Law, Darwin, 20–22 January 2016
• Commentary on Child Support Paper presented by Narelle Egan, Mount Gambier, 25 February 2016
• Commentary on Child Support Paper presented by Narelle Egan, Adelaide, 12 April 2016
• Convenor, Family Law Conference, Bali, 6–10 June 2016

Judge Willis

Professional memberships

• The Australian and International Association of Women's Judges
• Australian Institute of Judicial Administration
• Judicial Council of Australia
• Bar Association of Queensland, Associate member
• Family Law Section of the Law Council of Australia
• Family Law Practitioners Association Queensland
• The Association of International Family Judges
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Access to Justice Committee, Chair

Presentations

• International Bar Association Conference, presented on behalf of the Honourable Chief Judge Pascoe, 'The Legal pitfalls of international surrogacy: The need for international regulation of surrogacy arrangements. Freedom, rights and duties', Vienna, 7 October 2015
• Far North Queensland Law Association Mentoring Program for James Cook University and Central Queensland University, 'Court etiquette – Things all junior lawyers should know', Cairns, 27 October 2015
• Family Law Practitioners Association, panel discussion, 'Current issues facing the Courts and practitioners', Cairns, 27 February 2016
• Far North Queensland Law Association, compulsory continuing practice development evening, panel discussion 'Ethics', Cairns, 22 March 2016
• Wiyu Laiyu Gari nga Yadina Justice for Kin Carers Family Law Forum, 'In the jurisdiction of the Federal Circuit Court to hear children's matters and how that might be of interest to kin carers', Brisbane, 21 April 2016
• North Queensland Law Association, 'Latest and Greatest of the Federal Circuit', Mackay, 28 May 2016
• Panel discussion, The Australasian Institute of Judicial Administration Incorporated, 'Court management and support of family violence cases involving Indigenous parents and children', Melbourne, 16–17 June 2016

Facilitating

• Far North Queensland Law Association mooting competition, Cairns, 19 May 2016

External activities

• The Judicial Council of Cultural Diversity, Federal Circuit Court representative.
• Launch of the Judicial Council of Cultural Diversity Pathway to Justice, Migrant, Refugee Women and Indigenous Women's experience of the Court, Melbourne, 17–18 March 2016.
• Founding member and attendance at Cairns Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Family Law pathways group.
• Reconciliation Week event, Cairns registry, 1 June 2016

Judge Harman

Professional memberships

• American Bar Association
• Association of Family and Conciliation Courts, USA and Australian Chapter
• Law Society of New South Wales
• Resolution Institute
• Greater Western Sydney Family Pathways
• Albury Family Pathways Network

Conferences

• Albury Family Pathways Conference, Albury, 9 September 2015

Presentations

• Albury Family Pathways, 'Improving outcomes and interagency collaboration in Court referred Counselling' Albury, 22 July 2015
• Albury Wodonga Family Pathways Network, 'Community based services interacting with and assisting Independent Children's Lawyers', Albury, 5 August 2015
• Notice of Risk and Family Violence Workshop, on behalf of Orana Law Society, 3 September 2015
• Kon Gres Resolution Institute, 'Should Mediation be the first step in all family law proceedings?', Sydney, 7–8 September 2015
• Kon Gres Resolution Institute, 'Should Mediation be the first step in all family law proceedings?', Auckland, 10 September 2015
• Kon Gres Resolution Institute, 'Should Mediation be the first step in all family law proceedings?', Brisbane, 11 September 2015
• Kon Gres Resolution Institute, 'Should Mediation be the first step in all family law proceedings?', Adelaide, 15 September 2015
• Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care National Conference, 'Inequality disguised as equality', Perth, 16 September 2015
• Kon Gres Resolution Institute, 'Should Mediation be the first step in all family law proceedings?', Perth, 17 September 2015
• Kon Gres Resolution Institute, 'Should Mediation be the first step in all family law proceedings?', Melbourne, 24 September 2015
• Kon Gres Resolution Institute, 'Should Mediation be the first step in all family law proceedings?', 25 September 2015
• Albury Family Pathways 'Mediation: When and how to use it?', Albury, 30 September 2015
• Notice of Risk and Family Violence Workshop on behalf of Lismore Law Society/Family Pathways, 7 October 2015
• Family Relationship Centre 'Why lawyers should engage with mediation services?', Blacktown, 21 October 2015
• Family Pathways Breakfast forum 'Responding to allegations of Family Violence', Albury, 29 October 2015
• Macarthur Legal Centre open day presentation 'Working with clients who have experienced family violence', Sydney, 11 November 2015
• Notice of Risk and Family Violence Workshop, Parramatta, 11 November 2015
• Workshop Parramatta registry in cooperation with Aboriginal Legal Service NSW/ACT 'Indigeneity, Culture and Family Law Proceedings', Parramatta, 23 November 2015
• Notice of Risk and Family Violence Workshop, Sydney, 25 November 2015
• Presentation NSW Legal Aid, 'Family violence and presentation of evidence', 8 February 2016
• Asia Pacific Mediation Forum Conference, 'Should mediation be the first step in all family law cases?', Lombok, 11 February 2016
• Toongabbie Legal Centre, 'Evidential considerations in cases involving family violence', Sydney, 20 February 2016
• Notice of Risk and Family Violence Workshop, Campbelltown, 26 February 2016
• Presentation, with the University of Wollongong to Tribal Warrior Redfern, 'Working with children and reports of harm', Redfern, 29 February 2016
• Young Lawyers NSW seminar presentation, 'Drafting skills', Parramatta, 29 February 2016
• Deaf Society, 'Improving accessibility to justice for parties with disabilities', 4 March 2016
• Salvos Legal Family Violence skills day, 'Evidential considerations in cases involving family violence', 19 March 2016
• Young Lawyers NSW seminar presentation, 'Conducting hearings and lawyer's duties', Parramatta, 21 March 2016
• Sutherland Law Society continuing legal education day, 'Evidential considerations in cases involving family violence', Sydney, 22 March 2016
• ACT Family Practitioners, 'Practical and evidential considerations in preparing and presenting cases involving allegations of family violence', Canberra, 24 March 2016
• Macquarie Park Family Relationship Centre, 'Collaboration between the Court and Family Relationship Centres to produce better outcomes for children', Sydney, 31 March 2016
• Resolution Institute, 'Mediators attitudes towards confidentiality', Auckland, 12 April 2016
• Association of Family and Conciliation Courts Conference, 'Should mediation be the first step in all family law matters?', Seattle, 1 April 2016
• Regularly host school legal studies groups and university student groups for court observation and debrief and weeklong chambers placement, Parramatta and Albury
• Young Lawyers NSW seminar, 'Evidential considerations in cases involving family violence', Parramatta, 29 June 2016

Papers

• Published, 'Should Mediation be the First Step in all Family Law Act Proceedings?', 2016,

External activities

• Student mentor, Sydney University Student Union and LUCY programs, Sydney, 1 July – 30 September 2015
• Finalist, Law and Justice Foundation Justice Medal, 15 October 2015

Judge L. Turner

Facilitating

• Queensland University of Technology, Bar Practice Course, Brisbane, Brisbane, 26 October 2015 and 4 May 2016

External activities

• Northern Rivers Family Law Pathways Network, 'Introduction to Family Violence Specialist Workers at the Family Court', Lismore, 18 May 2016

Judge Curtain

Professional memberships

• Australian Institute of Judicial Administration
• Judicial Conference of Australia
• Victorian Bar
• Victorian Family Law Bar Association

Conferences

• 'Mental Illness and Children in Family Law', Family Law Pathways Network, speaker as representative of Federal Circuit Court, 3 December 2015

External activities

• Law Institute of Victoria Junior Family Lawyers Working Group networking event, 28 August 2015
• Law Institute of Victoria Junior Family Lawyers Working Group, 30 September 2015
• Barwon South West Family Law Pathways evening events to explain role of court, Warrnambool Circuit, 27 October 2015 and 15 March 2016
• Guest of Holmes List Breakfast Seminar, Melbourne, 22 February 2016
• Relationships Australia/Victoria Lawyers Panel evening, 'Detailing the role of court and the Family Law Act in dealing with equal shared parental responsibility and equal shared care and time with children under 5 years of age, 29 February 2016
• Federal Circuit Court representative at Family Law Section of LIV Courts' Practice Committee's, Melbourne, February, April and June 2016

Judge Harland

Professional memberships

• Board Member, Australian Chapter, Association of Family and conciliation Courts, from 15 August 2015
• Vice-President, Australian Chapter, Association of Family and Conciliation Courts, from November 2015
• Member, Association of Family and Conciliation Courts
• Editorial Board Member, Family Law Review Committee Member, Australian Women Judges Association
• Member, International Women Judges Association
• Member, International Family Judges
• Member, Judicial Conference of Australia
• Member, Family Law Section, Law Council of Australia
• Law Society of NSW, Honorary Judicial Member
• Women's Lawyers Northern Territory, Honorary Judicial Member
• Federal Circuit Court Judicial Education Committee, Committee Member
• Federal Circuit Court Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Access to Justice Committee, Committee Member

Conferences

• AFCC Australian chapter conference, Sydney, 14–15 August 2015
• Self-represented Litigants and Accused: International Perspectives, participated in five week online course, October 2015
• The Cranlana Programme, 'Saving Legal Aid: The 2016 Justice and Society Oration, Melbourne, 17 May 2016
• IAWJ 13th Biennial International Conference: Women Judges and the Rule of Law, Washington DC, USA, 26–29 May 2016
• AFCC 53rd Annual Conference: Modern Families: New Challenges, New Solutions, Seattle, USA, 1–4 June 2016

Presentations

• Family Law Pathways, Family Violence in ATSI communities, Melbourne, 1 July 2015
• National Indigenous Legal Conference, 'Lessons learnt from the Federal Circuit Court in the journey of developing and implementing a Reconciliation Action Plan through its jurisdiction', Melbourne, 4 September 2015
• AFCC 53rd Annual Conference, 'Modern Families: New Challenges, New Solutions, Seattle, presented session with Catherine Boland on Legal and Psychological perspectives on same sex relationship breakdown, USA, 2 June 2016

Facilitating

• Chaired session and assisted facilitating workshop for Independent Children's Lawyer's training, Melbourne, 11 July 2015
• Facilitated Advocacy Workshop for duty lawyers, Women's Legal Service with Judge Wilson, Melbourne, 25 January 2016
• Panellist for Victoria Family Law Pathways Network Winter Forum, 'CALD and African-Australian Communities within Family Law', Dandenong, 30 June 2016

External activities

• Information sharing meeting, NT Legal Aid and others, Darwin, 10 July 2015
• Meeting with Aboriginal students from Thornbury high school organised by Indigenous law students and Lawyers Association of Victoria – Tarwirri, Melbourne, 28 July 2015
• Meeting at the Aboriginal Family Violence Prevention and Legal, Victoria, 4 August 2015
• Meeting with Aboriginal organisations and others regarding setting up a Victorian Aboriginal Pathways group, Melbourne, 11 September 2015
• Migration users group meeting, Melbourne, 9 December 2015
• Organised lunch with the Victoria Legal Aid and Women's Family Law Legal Service, Federal Circuit Court, Melbourne, 21 October 2015
• Attended lunch organised by Lander and Rogers, young lawyers, questions and answers, Melbourne, 22 October 2015
• Australian Women Judges Association, Dinner for Justice Michelle Gordon, Melbourne, 26 February 2016
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Pathways meeting, Melbourne, 3 March 2016
• Family Court lunch with visiting Judge, Justice Oberto, 7 March 2016
• Migration users group meeting, 19 April 2016
• Meeting with the Department of Health and Human Services, new legislation presentation, Melbourne registry, 22 April 2016
• National Volunteer Week morning tea, Dandenong, 11 May 2016

Judge Small

Professional memberships

• Australian Association of Women Judges

Conferences

• Judicial Conference of Australia Colloquium, Adelaide, 10–11 October 2015
• Family Law Section Intensive, Sydney, 13 February 2016
• Judicial Conference of Australia seminar, Sir Zelman Cowan Centre, Victoria University, Melbourne, 7 March 16

Presentations

• Victorian Magistrates Conference, 'Family Violence in the Federal Circuit Court', Melbourne, 23 July 2015
• Law Institute of Victoria, Frankston, 29 July 2015
• Peninsula Community Legal Centre, Frankston, 10 November 2015

External activities

• Australian Women's Lawyers dinner to Welcome Justice Gordon's appointment to the High Court of Australia, 25 February 2016

Judge Manousaridis

Professional memberships

• New South Wales Bar Association

Presentations

• Copyright Law and Practice Symposium 2015, 'Building a Fairer Framework for the Future, View from the Bench', Sydney, 22 October 2015
• Francis Forbes Society for Australian Legal History, 'History of the Law of Torts', Sydney, 9 September 2015

External activities

• Lecturer in Civil Procedure, Sydney University, April – May 2016
• Council Member, Australasian Institute of Judicial Administration

Judge Young

Professional memberships

• Judicial Conference of Australia, Secretariat

Conferences

• National Judicial College of Australia, 'National Judicial Orientation Program', Adelaide, 21–26 February 2016
• Language and the Law Conference, 28–30 August 2015, Darwin
• Federal Circuit Court Plenary, Adelaide, 14–16 October 2015

Presentations

• Family Pathways Network, chaired a CLE session, Family Relationship Centre post-separation services, parenting services and the Contact Centre', Alice Springs, 17 November 2015
• Start at the Top Family Law Conference 2016, Darwin, 21–22 January 2016
• Family Pathways Network, chaired a CLE session, Domestic Violence in Family Law Matters, Alice Springs, 21 March 2016

External activities

• Chaired a meeting with representatives from the legal profession, Darwin, 17 February 2016
• Information sharing Agreement between the Family Law Courts of Australia, Child Protection and Legal Aid Northern Territory, 2 March 2016
• Meeting with Northern Territory Legal Aid Commission, external Family Dispute Resolution conferences, Darwin, 2 March 2016
• Meeting with Northern Territory Legal Aid Commission, Duty Lawyer Scheme, Darwin, 10 November 2015
• Meeting with the Executive Director and other Department of Children and Families staff from the Department of Children and Families NT, informal discussion, Darwin, 10 December 2015
• Hosted a morning tea and informal meeting during Reconciliation Week, 31 May 2015, Darwin
• Attended a meet and greet with the NT Law Society and Alice Springs profession, Alice Springs, 16 November 2015
• Attended a Family Law Pathways information session, 'general discussion', Adelaide, 26 November 2015
• Attended the National Education Day, Melbourne, 28 January 2016
• Attended a 'Walk in their Shoes' information session for members of the Family Law Pathways group, Relationships Australia, Darwin, 17 May 2016

Judge Wilson

Professional memberships

• Medico-Legal Society
• Member of Executive Committee, Commercial Bar Association
• Vice Chair, Asia Pacific Section, Commercial Bar Association
• Professional Judicial Member, 4 New Square, Lincoln's Inn, London

Conferences

• International Coach, Advanced International Advocacy Conference, South Africa, 11–17 January 2016

Presentations

• Presentation to the Family Law Section, Victorian Bar with their Honours Judge McGuire and Stewart, 'Trial Preparation and Presentation', Melbourne, 8 December 2015
• Guest Speaker, 10th Australian Advanced International Advocacy Conference, 'Transition from the Bar to the Bench', Melbourne, 22 January 2016
• Guest Speaker, London 2016 International Commercial Law Conference, 'Commercial Litigation Case Management: Common Goals and the Common Law', London, 29–30 June 2016

Facilitating

• Facilitated Advocacy Workshop for Duty Lawyers, Women's Legal Service with her Honour Judge Harland, Melbourne, 25 January 2016

External activities

• Opening of the 2016 Legal Year, Government House, Melbourne, 1 February 2016
• 2016 Annual Bar Dinner, Melbourne, 27 May 2016
• Vice Chairman, International Advocacy Training Council, based in London and Hong Kong
• Professorial Advisory Board, Deakin University
• Deputy Chair, International House, University of Melbourne
• Patron of Bottled Snail, musical and theatrical cultural production company the purpose of which is to alleviate mental health issues in the legal fraternity

Judge Middleton

Professional memberships

• Law Council of Australia, Family Law Section
• QLD Bar Association

Judge Vasta

Professional memberships

• Australian Institute of Judicial Administration
• Judicial Conference of Australia
• Bar Association of Queensland, judicial member
• Medico-Legal Society of Queensland
• International Association of Prosecutors, honorary member

Conferences

• International Association of Prosecutors, 5th Latin American Regional Conference, Brazil, 6–9 October 2015
• Youth, Technology and Virtual Communities Conference, Task Force Argos, Gold Coast, 26–27 April 2016

Presentations

• Legalwise Seminar, Tips for young lawyers in Industrial Law, Brisbane, 4 September 2015
• International Association of Prosecutors, 'Conference challenges for the global prosecutor and where the International Association of Prosecutors can help', Brazil, 6 October 2015
• Cambodia International Judicial Forum, 'Australian Court Systems', joint presentation with Chief Judge Pascoe and Judge Hanley of NSW DC, Cambodia, 12 January 2016
• Cambodia International Judicial Forum, 'DNA evidence', Cambodia, 12 January 2016
• Cambodia International Judicial Forum, 'Age of children and the discretion to prosecute/Mentally ill offenders, Cambodia, 13 January 2016
• Office of the State Coroner In House Lawyers Intensive Course, Ethical duties of a lawyer, Cambodia, 22 March 2016
• Legalwise Seminar, 'How to be a great lawyer?', Brisbane, 23 March 2016

External activities

• Board of Queensland Cricket, Deputy Chairman
• Moot Court judge, QLD Bar Practice Course

Judge Boyle

Professional memberships

• New South Wales Bar Association
• Australian Association of Women Judges

Appendix J: Court locations

Court Service Locations

Table 2.1 Family Court of Australia service locations

AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY
CANBERRA Circuits to: Wagga Wagga
NEW SOUTH WALES
PARRAMATTA, NEWCASTLE, SYDNEY Circuits to: Albury, Armidale, Coffs Harbour, Dubbo, Orange, Tamworth, Wauchope, Wollongong
NORTHERN TERRITORY
DARWIN Circuits to: Alice Springs
QUEENSLAND
BRISBANE, CAIRNS, TOWNSVILLE  Circuits to: Bundaberg, Hervey Bay, Ipswich, Lismore, Mackay, Maroochydore, Rockhampton, Southport, Toowoomba
SOUTH AUSTRALIA
ADELAIDE Circuits to: Mt Gambier, Broken Hill
TASMANIA
HOBART, LAUNCESTON Circuits to: Burnie
WESTERN AUSTRALIA
PERTH
VICTORIA
MELBOURNE Circuits to: Ballarat, Bendigo, Dandenong, Geelong, Mildura, Morwell, Shepparton, Warrnambool

Family law registries
National Enquiry Centre
Telephone enquiries:	1300 352 000
TTY/Voice calls:	Contact the National Relay Service on 133 677 or Speak & Listen contact 1300 555 727
International:	+61 2 8892 8590
Email:	enquiries@familylawcourts.gov.au
Australian Capital Territory
Canberra	Nigel Bowen Commonwealth Law Courts Building Cnr University Avenue and Childers Street, Canberra ACT 2600
New South Wales
Albury	Level 1, 463 Kiewa Street, Albury NSW 2640
Dubbo	Cnr Macquarie and Wingewarra Streets, Dubbo NSW 2830
Lismore	Westlawn Building, Level 2, 29–31 Molesworth Street, Lismore NSW 2480
Newcastle	61 Bolton Street, Newcastle NSW 2300
Parramatta	Garfield Barwick Commonwealth Law Courts Building 1–3 George Street, Parramatta NSW 2123
Sydney	Lionel Bowen Commonwealth Law Courts Building 97–99 Goulburn Street, Sydney NSW 2000
Wollongong	Level 1, 43 Burelli Street, Wollongong NSW 2500
Northern Territory
Alice Springs	Westpoint Building Cnr Railway Terrace and Stott Terrace, Alice Springs NT 0870
Darwin	Supreme Court Building, State Square, Darwin NT 0800
Queensland
Brisbane	Harry Gibbs Commonwealth Law Courts Building 119 North Quay, Cnr North Quay and Tank Streets, Brisbane QLD 4000
Cairns	Commonwealth Government Centre, Levels 3 and 4 104 Grafton Street, Cairns QLD 4870
Rockhampton	Virgil Power Building, Ground Floor 46 East Street, Cnr Fitzroy Street, Rockhampton QLD 4700
Townsville	Level 2, Commonwealth Centre, 143 Walker Street, Townsville QLD 4810
South Australia
Adelaide	Roma Mitchell Commonwealth Law Courts Building 3 Angas Street, Adelaide SA 5000
Tasmania
Hobart	Edward Braddon Commonwealth Law Courts Building 39–41 Davey Street, Hobart TAS 7000
Launceston	ANZ Building, Level 3 Cnr Brisbane and George Streets, Launceston TAS 7250
Victoria
Dandenong	53–55 Robinson Street, Dandenong VIC 3175
Melbourne	Owen Dixon Commonwealth Law Courts Building 305 William Street, Melbourne VIC 3000

General federal law registries
All enquiries should be directed to the relevant registry, contact details follow. TTY/Voice calls – Contact the National Relay Service on 133 677 or Speak & Listen contact 1300 555 727
Australian Capital Territory
Canberra	Nigel Bowen Commonwealth Law Courts Building Cnr University Avenue and Childers Street Canberra ACT 2601	Phone: (02) 6267 0566 Fax: (02) 6267 0625 Email: actman@fedcourt.gov.au
New South Wales
Sydney	Level 17, Law Courts Building Queens Square Sydney NSW 2000	Phone: (02) 9230 8567 Fax: (02) 9230 8295 Email: nswdr@fedcourt.gov.au
Northern Territory
Darwin	Level 3, Supreme Court Building State Square Darwin NT 0800	Phone: (08) 8941 2333 Fax: (08) 8941 4941 Email: ntreg@fedcourt.gov.au
Queensland
Brisbane	Level 6, Harry Gibbs Commonwealth Law Courts Building 119 North Quay Brisbane QLD 4000	Phone: (07) 3248 1100 Fax: (07) 3248 1260 Email: qldreg@fedcourt.gov.au
South Australia
Adelaide	Level 5, Roma Mitchell Commonwealth Law Courts Building 3 Angas Street Adelaide SA 5000	Phone: (08) 8219 1000 Fax: (08) 8219 1001 Email: sareg@fedcourt.gov.au
Tasmania
Hobart	Edward Braddon Commonwealth Law Courts Building 39–41 Davey Street Hobart TAS 7000	Phone: (03) 6232 1715 Fax: (03) 6232 1701 Email: tasreg@fedcourt.gov.au
Victoria
Melbourne	Owen Dixon Commonwealth Law Courts Building 305 William Street Melbourne Vic 3000	Phone: (03) 8600 3333 Fax: (03) 8600 3351 Email: vicreg@fedcourt.gov.au
Western Australia
Perth	Peter Durack Commonwealth Law Courts Building 1 Victoria Avenue Perth WA 6000	Phone: (08) 9268 7100 Fax: (08) 9224 8360 Email: waregistry@fedcourt.gov.au

Appendix K: Contact details

Chambers of the Chief Judge

Chief Judge John Pascoe AC CVO
GPO Box 9991, Sydney NSW 2000
Phone: (02) 9217 7261
Fax: (02) 9217 7272

Office of the Chief Executive Officer

Mr Richard Foster PSM
GPO Box 9991, Canberra ACT 2601
Phone: (02) 6243 8725
Fax: (02) 6243 8737

National Enquiry Centre

The National Enquiry Centre (NEC) is the entry point for all telephone and email enquiries on family law (Federal Circuit Court and Family Court) matters. The NEC provides information and procedural advice, forms and brochures, and referrals to community and support services. NEC staff cannot provide legal advice.

Opening Hours: 8.30am to 5.00pm Monday to Friday

Phone: 1300 352 000

International: +61 2 8892 8590

Postal Address: PO Box 9991, Parramatta NSW 2124

TTY/voice calls: Contact the National Relay Service on 133 677 or for Speak and Listen calls contact 1300 555 727

Email: enquiries@familylawcourts.gov.au

Website

www.federalcircuitcourt.gov.au

Commonwealth Courts Portal – www.comcourts.gov.au

Email

General federal law enquiries – customer.service@federalcircuitcourt.gov.au

Family law enquiries – enquiries@familylawcourts.gov.au

Commonwealth Courts Portal – support@comcourts.gov.au

Communication enquiries – communication@familylawcourts.gov.au

Social Media

YouTube – www.youtube.com/user/federalcircuitcourt