7 minute read
Alan Priest - Legal Light
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LEGAL Light with ALAN PRIEST
FROM PRIEST LEGAL
SHAME AND SCANDAL IN THE FAMILY
“Shame and Scandal in the Family” is a Trinidadian song about infidelity which creates problems for the family until it takes an unexpected happy twist at the end. If you are not familiar with the song, google the lyrics. Hopefully, they make you smile. Since the advent of no-fault divorce in 1975, separation no longer requires spouses to provide a reason for separation. However, separation still presents significant challenges on personal and financial levels. Whether you are happy with your new-found freedom, or still in the throes of trying to process the realities of separation, there are a number of issues that you will have to work through to enable you to move forward and find joy and humour in the next stage of your life.
These are some of my tips for easing the journey: 1. Be safe.
Not many relationships end where the parties simply shake hands, wish each other well, and go their separate ways. Most people are sensible enough to keep a level head and approach any resulting issues in a practical and reasonable way even though they may harbour some resentment or bitterness towards the other. But there are instances where threats and conduct (sometimes ongoing and persistent) can cause the other person to be genuinely fearful for their safety and the safety of their children. If you think the latter is your situation, your priority should be to ensure your safety, and the safety of your children. Consider contacting a domestic and family violence service like Liberty Services (6583 2155) for support, or the Police.
2. Look after yourself.
This sounds like a very obvious one, but it is regularly overlooked in the midst of a separation with so many other issues to deal with. If you don’t take care of your own personal and mental health, it is difficult to address other issues. Looking after yourself is of even greater importance if you have children in your care. You cannot be a supporting, loving and available parent if you don’t take the time to heal your own wounds.
3. Communicate.
Where it is safe to do so (emphasis added!!), try and maintain civil communication with your “ex” as you both work through parenting and/or property/financial issues after separation. Maintaining some form of civil communication generally leads to issues being addressed and resolved much faster enabling each of you to move forward without having a drawn out and often costly legal dispute. Where there are children involved, maintaining civil communication will benefit the children. They will actively see that their parents can work through issues that arise, and the children will appreciate their parents making the children’s needs the priority. Your children will thank you in the long run, trust me!
4. Consult an experienced lawyer for preliminary family law advice.
The old saying ‘knowledge is power’ immediately springs to mind. A person who is well informed of their rights, and the options available to them following separation is generally in the best position to make sound decisions going forward. We can’t all be experts at everything. The internet can be a helpful starting point, but often creates more questions than answers. The Family Law team at Priest Legal pride themselves on providing sensible and realistic legal advice. We are here to help you with any matters arising from your separation, or any other legal matters. Check out our website priestlegal.com.au or call 6583 1777 to make an appointment.
CAMPUS
CONVERSATIONS
with KATE WOOD-FOYE
FROM CHARLES STURT UNIVERSITY
BRENDAN LOWE
Brendan is a committed and compassionate Environmental Science student whose gentle, informed and persistent advocacy for sustainability is inspiring his campus, regional and national community to reconnect and re-think its relationship with the natural world.
His passion and purpose to create innovative solutions to these increasing challenges was recently recognised on the national stage. Brendan along with fellow student Jess Davidson joined other young people from across Australia at the From Risk to Resilience Summit in Sydney to give voice to those living in regional areas to help inform the Commonwealth Governments Second National Action Plan for Disaster Risk Reduction.
Brendan you are a passionate advocate for the environment and are a respected student voice for sustainable practices on campus and in our community. What started your journey and passion for the natural world?
Like so many things in life, it’s a lot of little things that have contributed. As a kid, I remember coming home and watching David Attenborough documentaries with my Dad and just being absolutely enthralled. During high school we were taught the idea of stewardship – that we leave the world the same or better for the generations that come after us, has always been an important concept to me. Probably more recently in life was the realisation that everything is connected and if we aren’t taking care of one part of the environment it will eventually cause problems elsewhere and I felt I was a person who had the ability to be proactive about finding solutions.
Brendan you were recently hosted by The National Emergency Management Agency, supported by the Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience at the national summit as a regional student voice for the environment. What you were able to bring back from that experience?
There are so many things that can be said here, I was in a room full of truly amazing people and I could easily find myself talking all day about the things I learnt.
I brought back with me an interesting way of thinking. As a person focused on finding solutions, I should ask myself three seemingly simple questions: 1. Are we doing things right? 2. Are we doing the right thing? 3. How do we decide what’s right? What you’ll find is that these aren’t simple questions at all, and I believe they’re important because it makes you take step back and really question the why of what you’re doing.
You have recently secured a role as an intern with the Sustainability at Charles Sturt team – can you share what you do and some of the projects you have worked on so far?
Charles Sturt University is one of Australia’s most sustainable Universities, and a lot of what I do and will be continuing to do, is to further that goal. Sometimes it’s a little unglamorous – like helping to conduct waste audits to see how we can better situate bins, posters, and create better awareness on where things should be disposed of. Often, it can simply mean having conversations with people in our community to achieve common goals. The most exciting is when you make the tangible changes, when you put the work in and you can see your results. Recently I have finished a bio-diversity project. Seeing the plants, that you painstakingly researched and chosen, start to thrive is a great joy, and a lasting legacy.
As an intern, and member of the Student Representative Council and Campus Environmental Committee you have so many exciting projects underway – can you share any of those that have made an impact on you across the last year?
The Solutionaries Shark Tank eSchool project was a huge one for me. It had me working with the amazing Lloyd Godson in the university Innovation Hub; where we helped guide highschool students from our community to create innovative business products and then give a presentation on them. Each business idea needed to have a sustainability lens cast across them. It was a learning experience for me as much as it was for the students. It really had me thinking laterally across many disciplines, and after every session I had to take a mental step back ‘Ok, how can I explain these concepts better, what can I do better?’. The experience was incredibly valuable to me, and it was a lot of fun. I am incredibly proud of all the students, and I am happy to say their hard work paid off, with two of the teams managing to achieve a first and third placing in the state for their projects.
Thanks Brendan.
Bachelor of Environmental Science and Management (with specialisations) - Study https://study.csu.edu.au/courses/environmental-sciences/ bachelor-environmental-science-management
