Family Focus

Welcome to our Family Focus blog page which hosts a collection of news, articles, and announcements relating to the FDR Centre, our processes, people and community.

The FDR Centre was established in 2013 as a specialist centre for providing a full range of private dispute resolution and conflict management services for all types of family and relationship disputes. We provide a holistic wrap-around service that includes everything from Family Law Arbitration, Mediation and Arb-Med for relationship property, trusts, wills, and estates disputes to FDR Mediation (including child inclusive mediation), conflict and communication coaching, and counselling. Our aim is to achieve positive and lasting outcomes for parents and guardians, children and other family/whānau members – all without stepping foot in the expensive, public arena of a court.

As part of our services, we strive to foster and participate in discussions and positive debate concerning all matters relating to the effective resolution of family and relationship disputes. This blog helps us to do so. We hope you enjoy the content.

A (sad) Tale of Four Sisters, a Property Magnate, Two Wellington Professionals and a Liquor Baron

Apr 18, 2019 | Family Law, Relationship Property, Trusts and Estates, Wills

Disputes over inheritance and division of relationship property leave parties reeling and broke and the public entertained at their expense The late William (Bill) Walker took over farming his parents’ farm, Hazeldale, in 1950. He developed it into a much...

Study of Māori depression by renowned Māori FDR mediator leads to transformative model of practice

Apr 15, 2019 | FDR Mediation

Rangi - Rua (Of - Two Minds) The FDR Centre is honoured and delighted to announce that one of our Senior FDR Mediators, Ngarongo Ormsby (Ngāti Maniapoto, Tainui & Ngāti Ranginui), has recently graduated from Te Whare Wānanga ō Awanuiārangi in Whakatāne with a Master’s...

Giving children a voice in FDR Mediation

Apr 2, 2019 | FDR Mediation, Voice of the Child

By Catherine Green, Executive Director FDR Centre Since early 2015, the FDR Centre has been offering child inclusive FDR Mediation, where children have the opportunity to share their views with a Child Inclusion Specialist, who attends the mediation in the...

Understanding anger and high conflict personality

Feb 1, 2019 | Counselling, Elder Mediation, FDR Mediation, Mediation

By Nicola Hartfield Nicola Hartfield, mediator and workplace mentor, discusses how anger influences certain personality types and the importance of understanding and managing anger to better engage with clients in stressful situations. While engagement and...

Aging In Place

Jan 25, 2019 | Elder Mediation

Kate Hursthouse A question commonly asked by and of family members reaching their senior years is whether or not to continue living independently at home. For some, it is undoubtedly the best option to move to assisted living. However, for those who do not...

Family Justice Reform Consultation

Jan 23, 2019 | FDR Mediation

The Family Justice Reform panel has released its second consultation paper which examines the 2014 family justice reforms. The panel’s research has shown that for those who have engaged in FDR, it can be a ‘quick, affordable and effective process’. They...

Relationship Property Disputes: a fresh approach

Dec 19, 2018 | Arb-Med, Family Law, Relationship Property

- by Catherine Green Tried mediation? Thought about arbitration? How about taking a whole new approach and considering Arb-Med? Earlier this year, the FDR Centre launched its 2018 revised suite of Mediation, Arbitration, and Arb-Med Rules for Family Law...

Mediation power imbalances: weighing the arguments

Dec 11, 2018 | Elder Mediation, FDR Mediation, Mediation

- by Nigel Dunlop It is commonly said that power imbalances in mediation render it unfair. The image is conjured up of a hapless party being cajoled into an unfavourable settlement by a more powerful party. Better to go to court, it is said, where...

Elder Mediation Specialist Accreditation: Gerard Sullivan

Nov 21, 2018 | Elder Mediation

We are delighted to announce that Gerard Sullivan, one of our highly experienced mediators, has successfully completed the Elder Mediation International Network (EMIN) Elder Mediation Certification Program. Gerard is the first mediator in New Zealand to...

The Centrality of Proportionality

Oct 10, 2018 | Family Law, Relationship Property, Trusts and Estates, Wills

- by Catherine Green “Proportion is the heart of beauty” - Ken Follett (The Pillars of the Earth) In an ideal world the time and cost investment in adopting private dispute resolution processes would always be directly proportional to the value and...