The Fantastic Typewriter
Last month’s blog post (“Get your punk at woollies” February 2025) spoke to an article I had found on my Google Drive (from 2015). That article concluded with a quote from Audre Lorde of which I am fond, namely, “The Masters tools will never dismantle the Master’s house”. This month’s post again draws on Audre’s […]
Come and get your punk in Woolworths
It is the 14th February 2025 and the rebuilt version of my website has just gone live. To celebrate the launch of my rebuilt website, I sit at my computer and ponder what blog post I might write. Goodness knows, the world throws up enough topics to rail against that I feel spoilt for choice. […]
Mediation vs Conciliation: What’s the Difference?
I prefer to describe the service I offer as dispute resolution, rather than being confined by the definition of “mediation” (although the terms are often used interchangeably). Don’t get me wrong, I am trained as a mediator and proud of the title (and I am accredited under the Australian Mediator and Dispute Resolution Accreditation Standards […]
Benefits of Online Dispute Resolution
Here are 7 key benefits of online dispute resolution: 1. Accessibility and freedom of choice Choice of professional services is no longer limited by distance and time zones. Increasingly, consumers engage professionals who best fit their needs, rather than the best that is available in their area. I deal with disputes throughout Australia. I have […]
How are property adjustment decisions made?
This information is a brief outline of the relevant provisions of the Family Law Act 1975. You should obtain legal advice as to how a decision might be made in your specific circumstances. The Family Law Act 1975 provides that an order adjusting interests in property must be “just and equitable”.[1] The High Court takes […]
Disputes Are Not Things
In an excellent article titled “The Emergence and Transformation of Disputes: Naming, Blaming, Claiming”[i] authors Felstiner, Abel and Sarat, opined that disputes are NOT things. And yet, many people treat them as though they were. In a case I once decided[ii] I quoted this article, saying: …for these parents, this dispute has become tangible. Their […]
Compromise
“A compromise is where you both change a little so you both can be happy”. Sesame Street I was watching Sesame Street with my daughter when I heard the above magical definition of the word “compromise”. Abby and Elmo were trying to play Twinkle Twinkle Little Star together but playing at different tempos. This meant […]
Negotiation
Mediation is a process of facilitated and managed negotiation. As such, it is worth considering how negotiation might work. Negotiation is a discussion aimed at reaching an agreement. Accordingly, before negotiations begin, there should be a commitment to reaching an agreement. This involves all parties coming to the negotiation with a desire, if not a […]
Disclosure
This is a brief outline only. You should obtain legal advice as to your specific circumstances. The court’s rules[1] provide that “…each party to a proceeding[2] has a duty…to give full and frank disclosure of all information relevant to the proceeding, in a timely manner.” But what does this mean? A good starting point is provided by […]