Dear MPs,

I believe there is a gross bias in the Family and Federal Circuit courts when it comes to fathers' rights to raise children. It seems like the courts live in a past life, where mothers are the ones raising children and fathers should be kept away.

I know of this from a personal experience, but since then I have heard from many, many other fathers and friends who had very similar experiences.

As an example here is my own story:

* When the judge was allocated to my case, my solicitor told me "give up, she is known to only find in favour of mothers"

* When my girls spoke to the family consultant and said they would rather live with me than their mother, the response was "they are too young to know what is good for them".

* When their mother made suggestions to the court, the judge turned to my barrister and told him "you better accept this as you will not like the alternative".

These are just some examples from one case. There are many more such cases - but the courts, magistrates and consultants are all behind an opaque wall where they are not subject to scrutiny due to child privacy concerns.

Without vilating the privacy of any individual, I now ask you to please order a review of the Federal Circuit and Family Court orders and family reports from the last few years, and determine:

* How many Family Reports were filled in the past few years, by consultant

* How many living arrangements orders were issued in the past few years, by judge/magistrate

* In how many of these reports and orders were the recommendations / orders for the children to live the majority of the time in favour of the mother vs. the father

* In how many of these reports and orders were the recommendations / orders for one of the sides to have sole parental responsibility (vs. shared responsibility between the parents).

This will be show whether there is indeed a bias on the parts of (potentially only some) magistrates and consultants. Where there is a clear statistical preference towards one gender, the magistrates and consultants should be suspended pending a re-training in social justice and ethics.

I am not advocating opening old cases and wounds, but if there is a bias it should stop. Now.