Family Property List Mediator Referral Scheme protocol
I was delighted this week to sign, on behalf of the Bar, the Victorian Bar/Family Property List Mediator Referral Scheme protocol. This scheme is a cooperative initiative of the Victorian Bar and the County Court of Victoria. The scheme’s main purpose is to enable the Court to refer matters to mediation by barristers who are Nationally Accredited Mediators.
It is with deep regret that the Bar Council informs members of the death of the Honourable Frank Saccardo QC on 16 September 2021.
Frank was born on 24 March 1955. Frank’s parents immigrated to Australia from Italy shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War. Frank’s education was initially undertaken at St Patrick’s College in East Melbourne. In year 8, when the closure of that school was announced, Frank transferred to Xavier College, Kew, where he completed the balance of his education.
As another week in lockdown looms, there is at least a minor improvement in the child-minding situation for single parents. Otherwise, there is not much joy to report in our efforts to provide some relief for members facing the uncomfortable reality of juggling family and professional responsibilities. We will continue to make representations on your behalf.
I hardly need to remind members of the unwelcome news last Friday that access to in-home child minding for preschool children was restricted. As I indicated on Monday evening, talks were ongoing in an effort to remove that restriction. On Tuesday, I met with senior representatives of the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Justice and Community Safety via Zoom to further discuss this unannounced and unwarranted alteration to child minding arrangements. DJCS, which assisted in setting up the meeting, understand and support the Bar’s position. Unfortunately, the meeting did not achieve much. We are yet to see the latest restrictions in print, but the Victorian Premier’s update suggests that the effective ban on in-home child minding for school-age children will only be lifted for families where both parents are, or the single parent is, an authorised worker. Clearly, this change (assuming it occurs) will only assist a minority.
A paralegal/law student working with one of our members has started an initiative to help raise awareness and money for Afghanistan's humanitarian crisis. Titled "Camp 4 Afghanistan", the idea is to camp out at home and help raise money. Information can be found here. Please consider supporting this worthwhile project.
Yesterday saw the commencement of the September 2021 Readers’ Course. Our congratulations to all the new Readers for having the foresight to want to become barristers! Our commiserations go to them for having to start the course online, but as I indicated in my welcome to them, the Bar’s staff has become adept at dealing with the vagaries of lockdowns – the intention is for the course to revert to a face-to-face format as soon as possible.
Another lockdown has just been extended for at least another week. If nothing else, it demonstrates how adept the courts have become at dealing with such upheavals when they occur. Cases that can be accommodated are in an unfortunately practised routine. However, there are always cases that cannot proceed and access to justice suffers.
