Westminster The husband of Harriet Harman, the Deputy Labour Leader, described his horror, alarm and distress at what he thought were burglars trying to break into his home, who turned out to be fathers’ rights protesters.

Jack Dromey, the Labour Party treasurer, told the City of Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London that he had been woken at the family home in Herne Hill, southeast London, in June by loud thumping as two Fathers 4 Justice campaigners, Jolly Stanesby and Mark Harris, both from south Devon, climbed up on to the roof of the house dressed as comic book heroes to make a demonstration. (more…)

LANDMARK laws that promote equal parenting time for separated couples are emotionally damaging children, according to lawyers and psychologists.

Brisbane-based former Family Court judge Tim Carmody has branded the push towards shared parental responsibility and 50-50 parenting time “a failure”.

Case study: Read Mia’s sad story

He said the onus to apply equal shared parenting orders was part of the reason he resigned from the bench in July.

“It created a real crisis for me,” Mr Carmody said. “I just couldn’t keep doing it.”

The orders appear to fly in the face of exceptions to the legislation, such as family violence or when equal time with parents is not “reasonably practicable”.

Melbourne child psychologist Jennifer McIntosh said children in 50-50 care risked developing higher than average levels of sadness, anxiety, clinginess and other mental health problems. (more…)