Townsville · Mediation
The shortest line between two points
Brendan is an accredited Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner, experienced and accredited in both Property and Parenting matters. Mediation is an effective tool that may assist parties to resolve their dispute and may save you the time and expense of going to Court. It allows you and your former partner to try and reach agreement about division of the matrimonial assets and/or the parenting arrangements for your children.
Where we can help
We act on a wide range of mediation matters. If yours isn’t listed, ask us — chances are we can still help or point you the right way.
The essentials
Brendan is an accredited Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner, experienced and accredited in both Property and Parenting matters. Mediation is an effective tool that may assist parties to resolve their dispute and may save you the time and expense of going to Court.
It allows you and your former partner to try and reach agreement about division of the matrimonial assets and/or the parenting arrangements for your children.
The Family Law Act 1975 (Cth) (the Act) requires that parties make a genuine effort to resolve disputes about children, such as where children live and when they spend time with one or both parents. This process is referred to as Family Dispute Resolution (FDR) and this step must be taken before an application is filed seeking parenting orders, except in very specific circumstances.
Brendan is qualified to issue a certificate that the FDR has taken place, or alternately that it is not appropriate for you to attend FDR. This certificate is known as a section 60I certificate and is proof that you have attempted FDR. It is valid for 12 months.
Court hands the decision to a judge, on the court’s timetable, in a public forum — often after a year or more and significant cost. Mediation flips that: you and the other side set the terms, usually within weeks, in private, and the working or family relationship is far more likely to survive it.
Mediation suits most disputes, but not all — matters involving serious family violence or a real power imbalance may need a different path, and we’ll tell you honestly if so. Costs are usually shared between the parties and far lower than litigation, and we’ll give you a clear estimate before you commit.
How it works
Each party is spoken to separately first, to identify the real issues and assess whether Family Dispute Resolution is appropriate in your circumstances.
As a neutral practitioner, Brendan guides both parties through the issues in a structured session — narrowing the gap toward an agreement that works for both of you.
Where agreement is reached, it can be formalised as a parenting plan, consent orders or a binding agreement. Where it is not, a section 60I certificate can be issued so you can proceed.
It starts with a free, no-pressure conversation.
Good to know
Mediation typically resolves in weeks, not years, at a fraction of the cost of a contested court case.
Instead of a decision imposed on you, you shape an outcome you can actually live with.
What’s said in mediation stays there. It protects relationships — vital in family and business disputes.
Local mediation
We run family dispute resolution (FDR) and civil and commercial mediations across Townsville — in person at our city office or by video for Magnetic Island and outer-suburb clients. It’s a local, structured path to agreement that keeps your matter out of a contested courtroom, resolves it in weeks rather than years, and leaves the outcome in your hands.
Mediation FAQs
Can’t see yours? Ask us directly — the first conversation is free.
The mediation itself is a negotiation, but any agreement you reach can be made binding — through a written settlement agreement, a binding financial agreement, or consent orders filed with the court. We make sure whatever you agree is documented so it holds up.
The Family Law Act 1975 (Cth) requires parties to make a genuine effort to resolve disputes about children — such as where children live and when they spend time with each parent — through Family Dispute Resolution before an application seeking parenting orders is filed, except in very specific circumstances. Courts also frequently order mediation in civil disputes.
A section 60I certificate is proof that you have attempted Family Dispute Resolution, and you generally need one before filing an application for parenting orders. Brendan is an accredited Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner and is qualified to issue one — either certifying that FDR has taken place, or that it is not appropriate for you to attend FDR. The certificate is valid for 12 months. You don’t need one where an exemption applies, such as urgency or family violence.
Nothing you say in mediation can be used against you later, and you keep every legal right you had going in. If it does not resolve, you can still pursue the matter through the courts — often with the issues narrowed, which saves time and cost.
Far less than litigation. Costs depend on the complexity and length of the session, and are usually shared between the parties. We will give you a clear estimate before you commit.
Yes. Mediation is confidential and, in general, what’s discussed can’t be used against you later in court — with limited exceptions, such as disclosures about a child’s safety. That protection is part of what lets people negotiate genuinely.
Absolutely. Mediation and dispute resolution work well for contract, commercial, workplace, partnership and estate disputes — resolving them faster, more privately and more cheaply than court, and often preserving the working relationship.
Your first consultation is free, confidential and without obligation — a clear read on where you stand and what to do next.
Set your bearing
A free, confidential first conversation with a Townsville lawyer. No pressure, no jargon — just a clear read on your options and the way forward.
