Violent dad gets custody--despite minister's vow (Australia)

With perhaps the exception of the Middle Eastern countries, Australia is arguably the most "father friendly" country you'll find anywhere. And it's become increasingly clear that as "fathers rights" has been institutionalized as sacrosanct, the safety of mothers and children has been totally sacrificed. Notice that UNNAMED DAD has had little problem getting custody despite extensive documentation regarding his violent criminal behavior. Also notice that the mother of this child "allegedly" committed suicide, and that the context for this so-called suicide is completely ignored.

And given that this guy has "severely beaten" several pregnant women, why is he not in prison for assault? Disgusting.

http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/mp/8312043/violent-dad-gets-custody-despite-ministers-vow/

Violent dad gets custody despite minister's vow
Colleen Egan, The West Australian November 13, 2010, 2:35 am

Child Protection Minister Robyn McSweeney allowed her department to return full-time care of a child to his violent father in circumstances she'd described in opposition as "horrifying".

Ms McSweeney conceded yesterday the placement of the boy was "not an ideal situation but this is real life".

However, she denied warning a fellow MP not to ask questions in Parliament about the man in 2007.

Former Liberal MLC Anthony Fels claims that Ms McSweeney advised him "not to get involved" and promised that when she won government, she would "take action".

Mr Fels says that two months after taking office, Ms McSweeney ignored a 42-page dossier he delivered to her office and allowed her department to hand over the boy to his father.

The department had a court order over the child until July last year and could have applied for an extension of the order.

The father's violence is well documented. Seven different women have obtained restraining orders against him and hospitals have records of at least three occasions when he severely beat partners while they were pregnant.

In 2003 and 2007, Department for Community Development officers recommended 18-year wardship orders be placed over the boy, now eight, because of his father's "significant history of chronic violence and drug misuse such that the physical, emotional and other welfare of the children is likely to be in jeopardy".

The boy's mother hanged herself in October 2003. In 2004, the father's family hired lawyers to challenge a five-year wardship order and, in a deal with the department, the family won full-time care.

In 2005, then in opposition, Ms McSweeney was quoted in a newspaper article titled "Boy given to violent father", accusing the DCD of placing the child in danger.

"I find it absolutely horrifying that children are being placed with relatives who are known criminals," she was quoted saying.

Yesterday, Ms McSweeney said: "Perhaps if I had been minister in 2005 this child may have been placed in a stable foster home but I was not the minister.

"In 2008 this child was six years old and his father had completed all the relevant court appointed sessions and I had no grounds to stop the process. I have made it a priority with the director-general that as soon as any legitimate complaint is made with regard to this child, it is checked by the department."