Thursday, 9th February, 2006

British Education Secretary Ruth Kelly had an egg smashed on her head on Monday as she left Salford Magistrates Court where she had been ready to give evidence against a man who had thrown an egg at her last year when she attended a meeting in Bolton. The Bolton demonstration was organised by a group calling itself Fathers-4-Justice but Ms Kelly did not have to give evidence because the thrower admitted to using threatening behaviour.He received a two months suspended jail sentence, was ordered to pay £450 costs plus £250 compensation, and to do 40 hours’ community service. The new thrower, calling himself a representative of Real Fathers-4-Justice, showed there was no immediate deterrent effect in that sentence and presumably Ms Kelly will have to run the gauntlet again at another court appearance.

In Australia on Tuesday Human Services Minister Joe Hockey was only being hit by words with lone fathers accusing the Coalition Government of "betrayal" for delaying a promised shake-up in child custody laws until after the next election. "I have called Joe Hockey's office," Lone Fathers Association national president Barry Williams told The Australian,"and told them that they will lose a lot of seats out there because men are sick of being treated like this. We were promised reform two years ago, and the Parkinson report [a government commissioned report by Sydney University law Professor Patrick Parkinson] has been down for nearly 12 months. This is ludicrous." The comments of Mr Williams followed reports of comments made by Mr Hockey this week that the Child Support Agency was not ready to implement radical change despite promises made by former Minister for Community Services Kay Patterson that the reforms based on Prof Parkinson's report would be introduced as soon as possible.

The British fathers group whose members have gained access to some of the most closely guarded buildings in the country.

Australian fathers group feeling betrayed by delays in changes to child custody laws