The head of the government's recently-announced family law inquiry has refused to condemn comments made by co-chair, One Nation senator Pauline Hanson, who said women lie about domestic violence to win court cases.
Liberal MP Kevin Andrews, who was asked by Prime Minister Scott Morrison to lead the joint-inquiry, told ABC News on Tuesday that he would not comment on statements made by members of the committee because he needed to remain "impartial".
"If I start providing commentary on what anybody says ... I think that then undermines my ability to try and chair this committee in a way which everybody coming before it can feel confident that they'll be heard," he said.
"It's very important for me as the chair, not only to be impartial, which I intend to be, but to be seen as being impartial."
Last week, Mr Morrison announced the parliamentary inquiry into the family court system, which will examine the timeliness of disputes over custody and assets, the high costs and child support.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said a fresh inquiry into the family court system is timely. Source: AAP
The One Nation leader had long been pushing for family court reform, but said it was not "the Pauline Hanson inquiry" but the "Australian people’s inquiry".
Shortly after the announcement, however, Senator Hanson told ABC Radio that women were "making up" domestic violence allegations before the courts in order to win cases.
"There are people out there who are nothing but liars and who will use that in the court system," she said, refusing to provide evidence to support her claims.
When pressed on statements from some women's groups that they would not feel comfortable presenting to the inquiry because of Senator Hanson's comments, Mr Andrews said those who choose to contribute to the inquiry would be treated with sensitivity.
"I can assure that everybody who wants to front up to the inquiry, and I encourage people to do so, whether they are men or women or those representing children or others, that as far as humanly possible I will ensure that these proceedings are conducted in an appropriate, impartial and civil manner," he said.
"My job is to make sure, as best that I can, that this inquiry is conducted in a very civil, civilised way."
Another One Nation Senator, Malcolm Roberts, also came under fire this week after a video from last year showing the Senator blaming the family law courts for "driving violence" and leading men to lash out was revealed by the ABC.
"But when you’re a father, and you can’t get access to your kids, and you can’t get access to the legal system properly, what else is there to do other than check out or hurt the other person," he said in the video, originally published on Facebook in March last year.
“You can just see people just lashing out – the system is driving violence."
In response, the Law Council of Australia urged all MPs to undergo family violence awareness training ahead of the inquiry.
“It is inappropriate to be blaming victims, the courts or judges for any person lashing out and hurting another person," Law Council President Arthur Moses said.
