A Tauranga man fed up with the family court system is taking to the streets in a 35km protest to raise awareness of the problems facing fathers gaining access to their children.
Colin Carey is so frustrated with the family court system he is embarking on a protest walk from his home in Katikati today, arriving at the Family Court about 10am on Thursday.
Family man: Colin Carey approximately 20km out of Katikati with support crew, daughter Michelle Carey and friend Erica Spencer.
The 53-year-old has faced tough times gaining access to his children and believes the domestic purpose benefit and maintenance payments could be redundant if fathers and grandparents were automatically given equal access rights to their children.
'If children weren't permitted to be taken out of school or the region after a couple part, it would be easy for each parent to keep working and share the responsibilities of raising their children,” says Colin.
'My ex-wife takes away access to my children anytime she is upset with me. She uses the kids like a bargaining chip or power tool.”
Colin says he has spent thousands of dollars on family courts in attempts to gain access to his children.
'The courts are so backed up it takes at least 12-months to get a hearing and the judges are automatically biased in favour of the mother.
'I know heaps of men in the same predicament as me. The other side of the problem is the grandparents.
'Grandparents should be entitled to at least one or two days a year to spend with their grandchildren as an automatic right. Obviously the exception to the rule is where there are domestic violence issues. But that should be the exception rather than the rule.”
Union of Fathers' secretary Sheila Ewart is not aware of Colin or his mission, but sympathises with his battle with the family court.
Sheila says half the problem with society today is children are growing up without a father figure.
'On July 1st, the family court is introducing a $220 fee for any type of dispute between guardians. This will really penalise poorer guys.
'Currently it is free. This is just going to make it harder for people who already struggle to pay legal fees. Too many couples, mainly woman, use children as pawns or to blackmail their partners,” says Sheila.
Colin plans to arrive at the Tauranga Family Court around 10am tomorrow morning. He is hoping people who feel frustrated or sympathise with his cause will support him by turning out for the protest.
If he finds the support he is hoping for he plans to walk to Parliament this September.
Anyone who wants to support Colin and his cause can walk part or all of the way with him along the main road between Katikati and Bethlehem today or from Bethlehem to the Family Court 46 Cameron Road tomorrow.
Alternatively, Colin should arrive at the Family Court tomorrow around 10am and welcomes anyone with Family Court issues who would like to add weight to his message.
15 comments
Fathers Rights
Posted on 20-06-2012 13:43 | By Wisefrog
Hey Colin, I'm 100% behind you and I'm a woman and a grandmother. I am so disgusted with some woman who decide to use a child as a pawn, the only ones getting hurt are the child in the end. I hdmy son "dump" his 13 yr old on me and despite this, still feel that the family courts automatically favour the Mum has full rights. It is time the sytem changed and gave equal rights to both parents, men are not the only abusers, there are some women who are the physical abusers against their male partner/husband but still they get preferential treatment by the justice system because they are "Mum". Sure a woman carries the child for 9 months prior to birth but that does not negate a fathers feelings. Its about ti,e the antiquated system of the NZ Justice system is given a major overhaul and recognises that fathers also have equal rights. Kate Shephard would be appalled that there is not equality in this sector, and for those who wonder who she was, she is the female that campaigned for the womans rights to vote! I will love to support and walk if need be to Parliment with you Colin, if my feet permit as i have a disability but 100 yards is better than no yards for your cause.
This man deserves a medal
Posted on 20-06-2012 15:18 | By SpeakUp
The Family Court is a Family Rort. I witnessed my best mate going through ‘the wringer'. His three kids were at the mercy of the wilful and totally unjust agenda of the functionaries at Court, almost all females, starting at the reception, (mis-)carrying on through the bureaucratic departments, right through to cunning and crafty lawyers and bias judges. The kids bore the brunt of this prejudice. And fathers, usually working in contrast to mothers who pull legal aid, are rendered often financially and emotionally bankrupt. All I can say is that once one has experienced the Family Rort system, one never again would place confidence in this system, perverted, subverted and subjugated by a brigade of course-of-justice-bending, man-hating, pseudo-liberal, ruthlessly system-rorting ‘legalisers'. I know now several fathers who capitulated to this travesty and just walked away. The kids might never understand why. It is a crying shame!
Fathers Rights
Posted on 20-06-2012 17:21 | By Wisefrog
To Speakup,I agree, totally, it is time that the court system was changed and gave both sides equality! So .... who is prepared to stand up and be counted and march with Colin! I am, despite my disability! The court system is nothing short of a rort! and its time basic people stand up and be counted! I am prepared to put my feet where my mouth is, its a conscienscious vote and one all NZder's need to stand up againgst! Fathers have rights too!
Colin here
Posted on 20-06-2012 22:04 | By Can do it
Thank you to the thousands of supporters who tooted and waved on the walk today from Katikati to Bethlehem, 28km in 5 and 1/2 hours to COUNTDOWN carpark at Bethlehem. I (and any who wish to join in) am walking again from the Countdown carpark at 8.30 in the morning into the Courtroom area on Cameron rd. Many have expressed that they wish to walk as well or to wait at the family court for my arrival behind the district court. You all have your different reasons so feel free to write up a placard and 'try' to get your message across. My Parents miss seeing my children and have done absolutely nothing wrong, just another part of the failings of the current system. Cheers to you all and Kia kaha to those who are being emotionally and financially dragged to their knees. Colin
COURTS HAVE BECOME A PAWN
Posted on 21-06-2012 00:21 | By PLONKER
As well as the children, does nto seem like there is anything real in it at all, certainly all it seems to do is encourage and reward bad behaviour, mad cap statements that do not get challenged, no evidence or reason of claims made. In the end the best interests of the children are meant to be to the fore but all that has happened is that they are used by some parents as a pawn for revenge on the other parent. That goes both ways of course. Certainly does not teach the kids anything that is good or worth learning except bad habits and more.
Go the Feminists
Posted on 21-06-2012 06:27 | By mr mizprint
Good for you Colin, but also praise to the Women that support you. Your Mothers & Grandmothers fought for equal rights. Now you are standing up for that same equality for our Fathers in society, its gratifing.
Fully support Colin
Posted on 21-06-2012 10:53 | By maccachic
My Uncle has had the same struggle, his kids only attended school 50% of one year, she would constantly move them (leaving debts with landlords), kids were not fed properly, she would make access very difficult and despite a long list the Courts would not give him full custody. Her response was he can have them when she no longer recieves the benefit for them.
Good on ya, Colin!
Posted on 21-06-2012 14:49 | By DaveTheScribe
Our Family Court system is wellknown as being close to useless as regards fathers' access to their children when the mother is determined to penalise the father. Never mind the childrens'interests! It is time for a national petition, possibly a citizens'initiative referendum, and a binding one at that, towards an inquiry into the system, and leading to a review of it. I applaud your courage, Colin, in undertaking your first walk on this issue, and I envisage and look forward to a massive support of your proposed walk/hikoi to Parliament.
Honest Fathers
Posted on 21-06-2012 16:31 | By hackedoff100
It seems that most judges these days want a shared custody situation. That is certainly the way it was for me. I am one of the honest fathers that pays my way. I dont hide my assets or cook my books to show limited income to reduce my child support payments. I know of a number of men out there that are paying less than 50 dollars a month for two children. I know one guy who owes tens of thousands and paying 5 dollars a week. Come on guys they are your kids. It is your responsibility to pay for them. Not the honest tax payers of New Zealand. If you cant pay the child support how are you going to support shared custody. I know that men are not the only abusers. There are women abusers too. But hey, the abusers know who they are. Maybe if there was nat so many out there trying to evade thier responsibility of paying and not beating their partners, Colin may not have needed to walk so far.
Thank you hacked off 100
Posted on 21-06-2012 20:59 | By Can do it
Cannot agree more but then if mums n dads of the kids got 50/50 shared care as of right upon separation rather than needing to spend tens of thousands to get access of any sort there would be no need for either party to pay the other as both would be carrying the costs of raising their children equally. Thats a heck of a lot of dollars that could go towards the kids and their lives and futures instead of going to waste on Solicitors in family court battles over adults who simply cannot or will not agree on equal shared time/care. So much support today I was overcome by it all. Seems a petition is next?
fair justice
Posted on 25-06-2012 11:08 | By fair justice
come on john keys how would you like your wife dictating that you or the childrens grandparents having no rights to seeing your children-paying the courts money for this is outlandish and cruel as some cant afford it.The law needs to give all families equal rights not just the mothers say of who where and why - because she is a controller- our children are humans and should not have mind games played with them and their feelings or options- toughen up no stay with other parent no pay the maintence.Why should Colin and may thousands suffer like this.Get the Sunlive to get votes on grandparents,parents and family rights as a front page article.come on Sunlive step up and support this cause
100% behind you
Posted on 25-06-2012 14:59 | By amillar
Hey Colin when i read your arcticle on sunlive i was so behind you as my partner is going through the same thing and every word ive read from you is exactly how he being treated by his ex she uses the kids a tool when she doesnt get her way its so wrong and my partner has to go a long with it just so he gets to keep seeing the kids, we joined fathers union great people, but she keeps threatening him with lawyers and the fact that he cant afford it is her other tool to which she has never had a job living of her current husband, to whom im sure is defrauding the government with pure greed, I had my parnter read your stand and as for him too I wish you the best do for the kids!!! needs their dads
Colin again !
Posted on 26-06-2012 16:34 | By Can do it
Thanks everyone for picking up the pace here, Sun live are the only media who have picked up on this hugely topical issue!!! I have learned from the first walk that there are simply thousands of people with empathy to these kids growing up without that very important father figure, heaps of us blokes are standing in for male role models for kids a lot of the time because we cannot get to see our own children in this largely unbalanced equation of access for the kids to both parents. I am in the middle of learning how to get a petition going and I am looking at my next walk to raise the awareness again. Cheers to so many of you who can see that the current 'system' simply HAS NOT worked and needs binning, Toku toa he toa rangatira. Colin
COURTS AND LAWYERS
Posted on 30-06-2012 13:51 | By PLONKER
Are out of touch about what teh public at large think and want to see happen. The system seems to allow a range of underhand tactics to be used such as false allegations by one parent about the other so as the kids can then be withheld "legally" even when this is known to be false statements the courts still do nothing in end result. In addition the time taken to get things to teh courts is a shocker, even for basic stuff. Then of course it has never been in the best interests of the average lawyer to "resolve" a problem quickly, they only make by there being a bigger scrap than needed, but watch how fast it all goes away when there is no money there to pay them anymore ...
Petition coming, another walk soon
Posted on 11-07-2012 18:52 | By Can do it
It is these very allegations that should be NOT allowed in family court, they are looked at very seriously by the Family court Judges as though they carry weight BUT in fact are just allegations. Get rid of the need for dads to spend tens of thousands on 'access' every 2nd weekend and allegations would be lost words in the wind. KIDS NEED DADS and we dads are now needing to step up to the mark and show these woman that the DPB is not a good alternative to having children with no male role model having 50% input into their childrens lives. Get rid of the DPB, get rid of 'Child support' (A defunct attempt to humour the average tax payer who had had enough of forking out to support fatherless children and the mothers. GiVE the children 50% time with the dads and there is no need for benefits, child support or Family court access battles, so simple, so easy, so come on DADS support this petition on getting rid of current family law and getting 50/50 shared care as of RIGHT for your children
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