ABSTRACT
The existing law and procedure on divorce is considered to be highly unsatisfactory. As a result, Parliament has passed the Family Law Act 1996, which, among other things, introduces a number of radical changes. The requirement for mediation is given high priority by the legislation but once a couple have decided that their marriage has come to an end, the new law and procedure seeks to ensure that divorce does not necessarily have to be a painful or costly experience. The reform of divorce laws by the 1996 Act are not expected to be introduced until the middle of 1998 at the earliest.
