The attorney-general took absolutely no notice of pretty much every expert in the country. But he did listen to Pauline Hanson.
After more than two years of trying, Christian Porter has finally managed to kill the Family Court.
In a week bookended by allegations of rape committed in Parliament House and the anniversary of the murder of Hannah Clarke and her three children, a bill to merge the court with the Federal Circuit Court passed the Senate — despite fears it could expose more vulnerable people to family violence.
Rarely has a bill been so vigorously opposed by every relevant expert or stakeholder. On one side, there’s a carousel of lawyers, academics, former judges and family violence advocates who say it will rob the court of family law specialists and fail victims. On the other side there’s Attorney-General Porter. And Pauline Hanson.
