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NON-CUSTODIAL PARENTS PARTY (EQUAL PARENTING) 

PARTY PRINCIPLES AND POLICIES

Principles

The Australian Government is taking more and more of an intrusive and unnecessary role in the making of decisions that affect our lives.

The Non-Custodial Parents Party seeks to:

1. Minimise government interference in decisions that affect the lives of parents and children of separated families;

     and to

2. Maximise the initiative of individual parents to make and be accountable for the decisions that affect their families.

 Policies

Our policies are related to parents and children after divorce or separation. These policies are also applicable to parents and children from intact families.

We seek to prevent family breakdown and we promote stability in established relationships.

The main issues are as follows:

1. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders Issues

2. Child Care

3. Crime and Justice

4. Defence

5. Economic Policy

6. Education and Training

7. Employment

8. Environment

9. Family Law and Child Support Issues

10. Foreign Policy

11. Health

12  Housing

13. Immigration

14. Marriage

15. Social Welfare

16. State and Local Governments

17. Superannuation

18. Transport

19. Water

Details are provided below:-

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1. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Issues

The Northern Territory Emergency Response (NTER) programme will be rolled out between 1 July 2010 and mid-2011. The evaluation of the NTER programme will then determine any future roll-out across the rest of Australia.

The previous Howard Liberal-National Coalition Government proposed the NTER programme. The current Labor Government has now continued with the introduction of the same programme.

We support the ACCOS* policy analysis. This is set out in their document titled:

Compulsory Income Management: A flawed answer to a complex issue (June 2010).

We do not support the Labor Government’s NTER programme. There are better solutions involving self-determination that are outlined in the above ACCOS document.

* ACCOS: Australian Council of Social Services.

Legislation for both the NTER programme and the child support scheme has been determined by FAHCSIA. Both the NTER programme and the child support scheme take away from parents, the ability to manage their own affairs.

We do not see any philosophical difference between the unwarranted Government control of the aboriginal community and the unwarranted Government control of families, in general. This is through the current family law and child support legislation.

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2. Child Care

Either parent should be able to look after their children should the need arise.

The FAHCSIA Performance Report is contained in their 2007-2008 Annual Report. The Report highlighted the fact that the Family Tax Benefit (FTB) payment was now no longer split between separated parents. This is where care is less than 35 per cent (previously it was a much lower 10 per cent).

The change was seen as a performance milestone by FAHCSIA. Should the non-custodial parent look after the children more than 35 per cent, the custodial parent would lose family tax benefit payments and other Government benefits. The FAHCSIA policy teams saw this as a financial win for the Australian Government.

However this change has created an additional hurdle for the non-custodial parent.

This hurdle now provides a financial need for the custodial parent not to permit the non-custodial parent to look after the children. We support the removal of these contact constraints in our legislation.

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3. Crime and Justice

To overcome the current social problems that exist in our community, we support the need for strengthened shared parenting legislation. This is to ensure the full implementation of a rebuttable presumption of equal-time shared parenting

Rex McCann*, in his book “Boys Growing up Underfathered“, has said that boys from a fatherless home are:

• 5 times more likely to commit suicide;

• 14 times more likely to commit rape;

• 9 times more likely to drop out of high school;

• 10 times more likely to abuse chemicals;

• 9 times more likely to end up in a state-operated institution; and

• 20 times more likely to end up in prison.

(Source: Rex McCann, “Boys Growing up Underfathered“, Finch Publishing, Sydney. 2000, page 47. Rex McCann is an Australian author).

It should be noted that Rex McCann has used figures for boys only from the United States.  However we have no doubt that somewhat comparable figures would exist for both girls and boys in Australia. 

The Australian Bureau of Statistics has also recently published their report on “Parental Divorce Or Death During Childhood” in September 2010. This report found that there are significantly reduced future employment, education and income earning prospects for children of divorced or separated parents.

At 30 June 2008, there were 27,615 people in goal in Australian adult prisons. This represents an imprisonment rate of 169 prisoners per 100,000 adult population (ABS Year Book 2010).

This is an increase from the 127 prisoners per 100,000 adult-population figure that were in goal in 1994.

For the last 25 years, the number of people being put in goal has been continually increasing. This is at a rate that is three (3) times faster than the overall increase in Australia’s population.

What is worse is that fifty five (55) per cent of these people, who are in goal, are repeat offenders (15,154 as at 30 June 2008 ABS Year Book 2010.)

Clearly Australia has significant social problems that are getting worse.

Some people say that we need tougher policing to overcome these social problems. The people do not realize that there is not a cap on the number of people that could end up in goal. Building more prisons and putting more and more people in goal is not the solution that is required.

The United States had 1 in 31 adults either in goal or on probation in 2008 (equivalent to 3,225 people per 100,000 adult population). The number is increasing. (Wikipedia - Incarceration in the United States)

If we take the tougher policing path we will simply end up with the social disaster that currently exists in the United States.

Children from separated families need both parents when they grow up. Otherwise the social problems, which exist in our community, will continue to escalate.

A new Section 65DAA was added to the Family Law Act 1975 in 2006. This was to allow judges and magistrates to consider equal-time, shared parenting. Very often this change has been bypassed by the courts.

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4. Defence

The operation of the Australian Defence Force should be limited to the protection of Australia.

At present, the army is participating in what is called the Army Aboriginal Community Assistance Program

The Aboriginal Community Assistance Program is a co-operative between the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FAHCSIA) and the Australian Army within remote Aboriginal communities.

We appreciate that there are times where the participation of our army is necessary. However this should be limited to emergencies only. Then a strict time limit should be set.

There is a fine line between providing assistance to a community and the taking control of a community. The later is the case in this situation.

Where required, we would support the replacement of FAHCSIA and the Australian Army with specialized officers from the Cth Department of Health, Cth Department of Housing and Construction, etc.

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5. Economic Policy

We support less “red tape” and less government and bureaucratic intervention in our community.

We also support the need for some protection of our local manufacturing industries. Whilst local industries may appear not to manufacture goods as cheaply as some overseas countries do, the long-term view should be seen as being more important.

We support the need to maintain some local manufacturing skills here in Australia. Otherwise we will be at the mercy of these overseas countries at some time in the future.

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6. Education and Training

There were 3,700,000 children in the 15,000 preschools, primary and secondary schools in Australia. This is as at August 2008 (ABS Year Book 2010).

Many of these children come from divorced or separated families.

Some state education departments do have family law procedures in place. For example, New South Wales, South Australia, Queensland, Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory  have published details on the Internet (details for Western Australia and Victoria are not publically available).

Unfortunately these documents are generally guidelines only rather than being actual policy. Therefore they carry little weight. 

They are also generally written on an ad hoc basis, with an emphasis on different and various other issues.

We would support a  National Schools Family Law Policy. This would emphasise the important of both parents being involved in the education of their children, after divorce or separation.

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7. Employment

Currently forty three (43) per cent (326,960 no.) of liable parents for child support are effectively unemployed (Child Support Agency’s Child Support Scheme Facts and Figures 2008-09).

We support the repealing of the Child Support legislation (and the return to parenting orders contained in the Family Law legislation). We also support the adoption of equal time shared parenting legislation. This is to allow both parents to get back into the work force to provide financial stability and independence.

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8. Environment

We wish to secure current economic growth and at the same time preserve the environment for Australians of the future.

We do not support the placing of an environmental tax on our coal production

The future source of power in Australia will realistically come from either coal or nuclear fired powered stations.

We are opposed to nuclear power on the basis of the inherent dangers involved.

There are also other forms of power generation that have been suggested as alternatives to coal fired powered stations. For example, either wind or solar powered generators have been recommended as two of these alternate options.

Both methods do have problems with distribution.

For example, our main winds are the Roaring Forties. These winds are generally found well south of the Australian mainland. These winds are not located near the main national electrical distribution grid lines.

Therefore it is not economical to use wind power generation on a large scale in this country. We note that Europe is different in that respect. It located further north. Strong winds do blow for long periods of time in northern Europe. Wind power is certainly an economical option on that continent.

The main source of reliable solar power generation would have to be located in the less inhabited areas of Central Australia. Again, these isolated areas are not near the main national electrical distribution grid lines.

We also note that another suggested source is based on clean coal technology. This requires the consumption of an excessive amount power in the first instance. Therefore power produced by clean coal technology is not currently feasible.

There no methods that can provide the same reliability or are as economically feasible as the currently used coal powered method.

We note that Australia is also the world’s largest exporter of coal.

Therefore we do not support the placing of an environmental tax on our coal production that would result in significant job losses for little gain.

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9. Family Law and Child Support Issues

(Refer to our separate policy on Family Law & Child Support Policy)

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10. Foreign Policy

We support any measures that would avoid having Australia being involved in any unnecessary confrontation e.g. the war in Iraq or Afghanistan.

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11. Health

Both men and women are affected by our oppressive family law and child support system. This very often has a severe effect on their mental health and well being.

The Labor Government has recently developed a new National Male Health Policy. Funding has been allocated in 2010 Budget for a total of $16.7 million over four (4) years.

Unfortunately this funding has been specifically restricted to “curing the problem”. No funding has been for “preventing the problem”.

Preventative action is now required.

For example, the new National Male Health Policy has omitted tackling the following important issues that are a source of many of the problems:

• Family court issues.
• Child support problems.
• Family violence order bias.
• False sex abuse claims.
• Gender discrimination.

The overall National Health Budget is approximately $100,000,000,000 annually. A minuscule $16,700,000 was allocated for the National Male Health Policy over a four (4) year period.

We would support a National Health Policy – for both men and women – that would address all of the above issues and provide real solutions – to prevent health issues from occurring, in the first instance. We would also support a budget allocation that would have a more meaningful effect.

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12. Housing

Either owning or renting a house is getting beyond the reach of the average wage earner.

In 2007-08, owners with a mortgage had the highest housing costs, averaging $384 per week or 18% of their gross household income. Tenants renting from a private landlord have to pay $267 per week or again 18% of their gross household income. ABS Housing Occupancy and Costs, Australia, (4130.0).

Very often, people who have been affected by the Family Law and Child System cannot afford to purchase a house or even to have rental accommodation.

One of the reasons is that tax legislation is pushing up the cost of houses and the subsequent rental costs.

Tax legislation has allowed selected landowners to acquire a significant number of dwellings. Individual landowners may own say 40 to 50 dwellings. The mortgages are paid by allowable tax deductions. This is through “negative gearing” provisions in the tax legislation.

This results in ordinary people having to try and pay 18 per cent of their gross household incomes for accommodation.

This is unfair.

We would support the removal of the “negative gearing” provisions in the current tax legislation.

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13. Immigration

We support controlled immigration.

In 2007-08, there were 442,100 arrivals to Australia and 228,400 departures, providing a net gain of 213,700 people

This net overseas migration (NOM) figure of 213,700 people represents 59% of Australia’s population growth for the year (ref.  ABS Migration, Australia 2008-09. Cat no 3412.0).

Australia’s total fertility rate (TFR) was about 1.90 babies per female in 2009. This was up slightly from the historic low of 1.73 in 2001 (ABS Cat no. 3301.0 Births Australia 2009). However the TFR should be at least 2.1 for sustainability.

Australia needs to continue to look after the people living in Australia better, as its first priority. This is before allocating other spending such as overseas aid, etc. People need to have confidence that proper health and education facilities will be available for their children. This is before they consider having children.

Unless this is done, our fertility rate will continue to remain too low. At the same time, the proportion of our older inhabitants in our population will continue to be correspondingly too high for sustainable growth.

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14. Marriage

Falls in the crude marriage rate since 1970 can be mainly attributed to changes in attitudes to marriage and living arrangements that have occurred since that time ABS Marriages and Divorces, Australia (3310.0).

In response to this problem, the Marriage Manifesto was produced by the National Marriage Coalition in 2007

We particularly refer to Item 11 of the section titled “STEPPING FORWARD TOGETHER – A CALL TO ACTION”.

Item 11 states that:

We urge all governments and their agencies to take urgent steps to:

11. Implement a fundamental reform process of the Family Law Act 1975, with a view to making     divorce laws more equitable for all concerned; specifically:

i.  Examining the current grounds for divorce, namely the irretrievable breakdown of the marriage, as evidenced by 12 months separation of the parties.

ii.  Examining whether the best interests of children would be enhanced by longer separation periods where there are children of the marriage and earlier reconciliation counseling (as opposed to conciliation counseling).

iii. Including a presumption of shared parenting after divorce in the Family Law Act. Children will then be guaranteed equal access to both parents after divorce. This is their right.

We support the changes recommended in the item 11 of the Marriage Manifesto

Adobe Acrobat PDF copy of the Marriage Manifesto

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15. Social Welfare

The largest component of Australia’s social cost welfare is the income support and benefits that is paid by the Government.

Over 4.2 million people, or more than one in five individuals, are direct beneficiaries of income support payments at any one time. The cost to the taxpayer in 2008-09 was $92,557,668,000. Of these payments the Newstart allowance accounted for $4,885,930,000 and the Disability Support Pension accounted for $10,918,000,000 .  (ref. ABS cat no. 1301.0 Year Book 2009-10).

Many of these people have been unnecessarily affected by Australia’s current family law and child support legislation. This family law and child support legislation has caused a disproportionate number of divorced and separated parents to be unnecessarily reliant on these income support benefits and payments

Child support and family law reforms, which have been provided in our Family Law & Child Support Policy would encourage those who can work to do so.

These reforms include the implementation of a rebuttable presumption of equal-time shared parenting and the abolition of the Child Support Agency.

We believe that the implementation of these reforms would significantly reduce some of the above outlays made on social welfare.

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16. State and Local Governments

We support many of the functions, now being carried out by state government departments, being transferred to the Commonwealth Government.

Australia is over-governed. These changes would result in less unnecessary, bureaucratic intervention on the part of state governments being removed.

The Federal Government, State Governments and Territories and Local Government all handle, to varying degrees:

• Roads  – including national, main roads and local roads.
• Public Health – including Medicare, hospitals and local council health centres.
• Education – including universities, primary and secondary schools and local council pre-schools.
• Environment – emissions trading scheme, waste management and local recycling.
• Tax Collection – including income tax, GST revenue, various state levies and stamp duties and local council land rates.

It is appreciated that many state government departments (and local government authorities) do view their roles as being important. The reality is that the true power resides with whoever collects the taxes. That power now resides with the Commonwealth Government.

This is simply because the bulk of taxation revenue, i.e. income tax and GST revenue – is raised by the Federal Government.

It would be very simple for the Federal Government or Local Council to take over any role that is now currently being done by the State Government.

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17. Superannuation

Funds held as superannuation are considered to be property by the Family Law courts. Our policy on superannuation can be found in our separate policy on Family Law & Child Support Policy.

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18. Transport

We support funding that would go towards overcoming deficiencies in public transport rather than on building more and more new freeways. This is not just for environmental reasons. It is also for reasons of logic. Public transport can simply transport a lot more people.

The majority of Australia’s workforce and students (72 per cent in 2000) drove a car, truck or similar to their work or to their place of study. Only 12 per cent used public transport to get to work or to their place of study. (Source: ABS Year Book 2008).

This current lack of public transport infrastructure indicates that our state and federal governments have been deficient in their planning duties for a number of years.

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19. Water

By far the largest consumer of water in Australia is the agriculture industry. Agriculture accounts for about two-thirds (67%) of total water consumption in Australia (ref Australian Bureau of Statistics Cat no. 4610.0, 2004-2005)

Therefore water is a scare but necessary resource for our rural communities.

We would support the amalgamation of the state-run water authorities under one National water authority.

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