00:00 In five years at the Federal Circuit and Family Court, Chief Justice Will Olstegren has seen
00:07 many people lose more than they gain.
00:12 Costs in family law litigation are often so disproportionate to what they're fighting
00:16 over.
00:17 And it's often the first time people step foot inside a courtroom. The process can be
00:22 even more intimidating for those escaping family violence.
00:26 They might leave behind a property law claim simply because they're too scared to face
00:31 their perpetrators.
00:33 Sometimes we find that women who are experiencing family violence, the perpetrator of that violence
00:39 will not engage in the process or will use the process to continue their control or abuse
00:45 over their former partner.
00:47 From today, a national program will support victims of violence, those with minimal assets
00:52 and other vulnerable parties, to resolve their cases quickly and cheaply, with case management
00:58 from registrars around the country.
01:00 It takes the disproportionate imbalance out of the relationship between the parties and
01:06 allows both parties to really have a say in how they might get to closure. And for victims
01:12 particularly of coercive and controlling violence, that's a really powerful shift in the dynamic.
01:18 It's not unusual for a property dispute to cost parties up to half of what their assets
01:23 are actually worth. The financial impact can be devastating for those trying to get back
01:28 on their feet after a relationship has ended.
01:31 We know that having quick, low cost and safe dispute resolution mechanisms for women will
01:37 help them to leave unsafe relationships.
01:41 With some family law cases running into years, the Chief Justice hopes it will help clear
01:46 the backlog and help families get on with their lives.
01:49 There's far too much harm, there's far too much expense in our family law system and
01:54 the Australian families deserve better.
01:56 [BLANK_AUDIO]
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