Family court battles can be heart-wrenching, and they become doubly exhausting when one parent deliberately alienates the child from the other parent. I have been assisting a friend for over four agonising years in his battle to gain access to his daughter in the family courts of Western Australia. Sadly, his daughter has become a tool in this prolonged and manipulated ordeal, subjected to parental alienation, manipulation, and weaponisation.

Parental alienation is a form of emotional abuse. It involves one parent using various strategies to distance the child emotionally from the other parent, creating a rift and instilling unwarranted fear or mistrust. In our case, my friend has been consistently shut out of parental responsibilities and deprived of their cherished moments together—all because of deliberate alienation tactics.

The current Australian Family Law Act 1975 lacks a strong stance against this manipulative behaviour. Parental Alienation is not expressly defined in the Act and there is an urgent need to change this. Parental Alienation should be defined and named in the Family Law Act 1975. With this there is also an urgent call to see parental alienation as a prosecutable offence in Western Australian family law matters. Such a step will not only bring justice to affected parents, but also ensure the well-being of children who ought to have the love and care of both parents.

Statistics indicate that parental alienation affects thousands of families in Australia annually, leading to damaged relationships and long-term emotional consequences for children. Actionable laws can deter such damaging behavior, ensuring that no child becomes a pawn in a battle of egos. Other countries have started to recognize this issue legally, and it's high time that Australia follows suit.

We call on the Australian government, the Attorney General, and lawmakers to amend the Family Law Act 1975. Clearly defining parental alienation and making it a recognizable and prosecutable offense will empower the legal systems to protect children from the harmful effects of alienation.

Let's unite to protect our children and preserve the sanctity of parent-child relationships. By addressing this legislative gap, we can build a fairer system that respects both parents equally and prioritizes the emotional health of our children.

Please join us in this essential cause. Sign this petition to urge lawmakers to take decisive action against parental alienation in our family law system.