A Central Queensland University academic's in-depth research analysis of how some Australian family law court judges ordered children to have contact with their violent fathers was presented to audiences in a state-wide, video-link broadcast last week.

The Queensland Centre for Domestic and Family Violence Research hosted Dr Amanda Shea Hart's presentation at CQU Mackay.

The presentation focused on some of the key findings of a qualitative analysis of how judges from one registry of the Family Court of Australia constructed the 'best interests' of the child in contested contact cases that reached the stage of a final hearing and where domestic violence was recognised as an issue by the court.

Dr Hart said her analysis showed patriarchal philosophy provided a strong rationale for making domestic violence less of an issue in judicial decisions said to be in children's best interests.

"The reconstruction of mother and child victims of domestic violence as ‘alienating' beings, together with the dominant ideological imperative for children to have ongoing relationships with their violent/‘loving' fathers, formed a strong foundation for the precedence of an idealised post-separation family."

Dr Hart has over 30 years' experience as a social worker in the field, working with children and families and specialising in cases of violence and abuse.

She also has over 15 years' experience in management positions in the Adelaide registry of the Family Court and the community sector in the development and provision of services for separated families in dispute.

Dr Hart's continued research interests include children's rights and how the special needs of mother and child victims of domestic violence are addressed in the Australian family law jurisdiction.