How is it possible that a $13 billion Legal Industry and 21st century Government policies can create an environment of mental illness, domestic violence, murder, child abuse and even death of children? Yet the government continues to prioritise the GDP & economic surplus of the country while the mental health of its very citizens debilitate. Do they not realise it is the very same citizens that contribute to the economy?

Our Justice system and our Government have failed to protect its women and its children. Families are collapsing, national mental health is deteriorating and our children are disappearing. They’re disappearing as a result of domestic violence, assault, sexual abuse as well as drug and alcohol use. In a generation where technology is taking over and unemployment is on the rise, being dysfunctional is not rare.

An incompetent legal system is pushing thousands of single mothers towards centrelink benefits. From firsthand experience I know the blatant inconsistencies of this justice system. I know how this legal system is not a means to try fairness or bring to light equality and justice but rather an arena to showcase how well you can manipulate policies to meet your own wants. Not needs or rights but mere wants. 

It was very easy for my migrant ex husband to dump his responsibility as a father, a husband and as a human on the Government., All he needed was a good lawyer costing $26 000 to get my share of the home equity and 6 years worth of my pay from the administrative, financial and ad hoc work I did in his company. His final lingering words before he left me and our three kids to go on an overseas trip with his new girlfriend were “go back to India otherwise stay here and the Government will help you!” Meanwhile I was running back and forth from the department of housing, Centrelink, lawyers to local MPs with my 3, 5 and 7 year old children. He even took our piggy bank from the house. 

He went from owning a million dollar business to showing bankruptcy on paper. It was as easy as starting the business up again in his new girlfriend’s name to avoid paying child support. As bankrupt as he was formally on paper which kept him from supporting his own children, it did not get in the way of his new luxury car purchases including his new Mercedes and BMW Z4, his holidays to Europe and America and certainly didn’t impede him buying two houses. He may value the gold and dollar sign, but it’s disgusting that his material life gets more respect than the dignity and value of his own children, The same country which honoured him with citizenship is the very same which he dishonours by dumping his personal responsibilities on.

Dozens of time I filled legal aid forms with dozens of paper, while carrying out my motherly duties. Every Magistrate showed their racist card instead of serving justice, same with the lawyers they would take their initial $950 fee from legal aid and then pointed me towards Centrelink telling me that your ex has made the case too complicated and it’s better that you carry on with your life and take care of your children????? This is not how judges & lawyers should behave, and instead of serving justice they are promoting corruption to flourish and violate the very human rights and justice which they are supposed to serve. We point to other countries who treat their women unjustly but what are we doing with our women? With our values? It is a shame that we need lots of money for JUSTICE. That is why I say justice was sold for $26,000.00

If the Government caught these kinds of culprits they can help mothers like me to carry on with their life with dignity and with self respect instead of making them dysfunctional, unhealthy and depressed. The effect goes on to our children and it gets carried to generations or it can finish the generation.

People like my ex husband are ripping of the system and we mothers who continuously carry our responsibilities were refused JUSTICE and a fair go. This way the Government is doing nothing but creating a population of dysfunctional women and children and further dysfunctional adult. Corrupt people like my ex-husband are creating a burden on the economy and mothers and innocent children are paying the price.

Without providing a proper system for Justice and a fair go, our Government is now also cutting on single mothers welfare, without stabilising their family life with their children, also putting our youth in detention centres without providing them a basic environment for human growth. 

DID YOU KNOW

•     Magistrates earn $250 000 to $300 000 pa whilst disparagingly on the other hand thousands of rape, murder and sexual assault occur with repeat offenders.

•       In Australia there are many children being raised in foster care homes yet many still suffer from serious abuse and neglect. *Mr Tim Carmody (a former Family Court Judge ) said some children in Queensland were being placed in 35 different homes with a new school change each time over ten years! Imagine the detriment to these children’s mental health. Imagine the ordeal of constantly uprooting your home, family and school environment, which at such tender ages require stability and warmth to build a foundation of growth and nurture to becoming strong adults. Every child deserves a nurturing and loving environment where they feel safe and can grow into healthy and compassionate adults. There are many examples where such love, respect and nurture are highly exemplified particularly by those with little themselves and living in second world countries.

•     In Australia more than 100,000 children get abused, beaten and many killed by their step parents, parents or carers due to alcohol abuse*. (*http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/relationships/alarm-at-soaring-number-of-kids-in-foster-care/story-fnet0he2-1226592799589)

•     Despite the many pedophile rings which are coming to light, the Royal commission which seem to always be inundated with child abuse cases, claim that “Mothers are delusional to say that their husband or partner is sexually or physically abusing their child”. However it becomes too late deal with the consequences when this child grows up to be a mentally ill adult. It is tough supporting oneself through mental struggle let alone doing so with the maternal responsibility as a mother of many young vulnerable children.

•     More than 2,500 women/mothers get killed by their own partners.

•     More than 2,500 people committed suicide in 2012, with 65,000 being attempted suicide. This highlights the magnitude and importance of mental health in this country.

•     In our educated Australian population of 23 million, 6,250,000^ people suffer from severe episodic mental illness, 65,000 have a severe and persistent/complex multiagency need while 3 million people suffer from mild to moderate mental illness.

•     Around 4 million (aged 16-85)^ Almost 600,000 children (aged 4 -17 years) are affected by clinically significant mental health problem^. (^Report of the National Review of Mental Health Programmes and Services-Summary 30/11/2014 National Mental Health Commission)

 •     So far more than 33 women have been killed by their intimate partners (Since the beginning of this year 2015 to date).

•     Thousands of Australian children are born in dysfunctional families without security; many of whom facing the likelihood of never sensing what a happy family would be like.

 •     If we don’t act now more Australian children face the chance of never experiencing this family care. The chance of never having a family connection. It is this connection and solid foundation which will develop emotionally and intellectually healthy and strong adults.

•     Despite such unforgiving circumstances single mothers muster what they can to continue to develop their children in tough situations. It becomes even tougher when the Government enforce policies forcing these tied up mothers to work whilst maternally and paternally looking after their children. This is an impossible task and if the Government want the future adults, our children to be the best they can, they need the best family care they can get. How is that possible if the mother is working at untimely shift hours?

•     The importance of mothers, need to be realised. Mothers are the first mentors for their children, she is a counsellor, she is a nurse, she is a doctor , she is a dietician and she is a teacher for her children. She is a manager of her home affairs. When mothers are not supported society can falter and this will adversely impact national mental health.

•    There are people in our society who expect mothers to take complete responsibility for the upbringing of their children, while the fathers who have decided to leave the family unit are not faced with any social stigmatization. E.g.

•     BOYS' toys in their millions are being seized from daddy scrooges who are snubbing their legal requirements to pay child support. http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/deadbeat-parents-refusing-to-pay-child-support-have-luxury-items

•   Boats, property, cars and other luxury items, luxury holidays with new partners.

•   Doing business in partner’s name, are the tactics used by fathers to avoid their responsibility and this irresponsible act of crime against humanity should be immediately stopped. Instead of harassing and putting pressure on mothers to work and 100% care for her children, government should tighten the laws and child support agency should do more of the field work.

•   WHO OWES THE MOST IN CHILD SUPPORT?

•   NSW: $324,405,528

•   QLD : $287,388,232

•   VIC  : $233,266,837

•   WA  : $134,161,496

•   SA   : $64,596,558

•   TAS : $22,324,338

•   ACT : $14,561,254

•   NT   : $13,369,955

•     National child support debt $1,094,074,199

•     Situation of mental health and social problems became worse after 2006 when  John Howard government start forcing mothers to start working or get trained and leave your kids and look for work otherwise they will stop their payments. Without providing justice to these women, and protection to these children, without providing proper roof to stay how can they force this distressed mother to work and leave her suffering children? Why they are snatching mothers away from these children where they have only one parent, and that too with the history of Domestic violence? Without providing them housing and other facilities

•     Australian people are struggling for basic needs, roof over their heads, basic utilities.

•     Not supporting women is already costing a nation in trillions and many lives.

•     Australia is raging war against terrorism what about its own terrorism against its own women and children.

 We demand the Australian Government to:

1.    Create a service group that investigates and deals with each and every case of single mothers and their children. To ensure these families are living in clean homes and to provide respite to the mothers so they can manage to pick themselves up and continue giving as a mother effectively.

2.    Provide Government housing in each suburb with a large single mother demographic. The local council should dedicate a department for court cases and issues regarding singles mothers to streamline lengthy processes and assist these single mothers. Thus new facilities would be required for these added departments.

3.    Understand that mothers spend a lot of their time taking care of and upbringing their young children and should not be left to work at least until the youngest child turns 16. Additionally the young men who are supporting their families should be given more opportunities to work and help their families, for example limiting the number of machines in factories replacing humans.

 4.   Make timely checkups on fathers who are not paying their child support with consequent penalties such as withholding assets and providing mothers and their children with rightful and justly support.

 5.   Monitor the family’s situation by requiring mothers to submit the children’s up to date health checks and school reports to ensure that the children of this country’s future are given an opportune foundation to grow as effective adults.

 6.   Create policies and laws, so unless a father is contributing to his child’s welfare and basic needs to the best within his capacity he cannot take the mother to court for equal sharing.

 7.   Ensure that unless the above demands are met the Government cannot force single mothers to work and threaten to withhold her payments.

 8.   Have stricter laws regarding alcohol and drug abuse particularly in families with young children.

 9.    Implement campaigns in strengthening family values and family values within many diverse cultures of our multicultural Australia.

 10. Reduce utility bills and provide strategies to assist families in managing their budgets.

 11. Monitor closely insurance companies that are ripping families off and filter down on company corruption.