A new bill that introduces a compulsory mediation system for family disputes is one step closer to passage after the Legislative Assembly’s Third Standing Committee finished reviewing the proposal yesterday.
According to local media reports, the committee has passed its suggestions to the Legislative Assembly for deliberation, recommending that the law be made effective from 1 January 2026.
The head of the committee, Wong Hin Fai, noted that the law clearly states the range of family conflicts that will be covered, including divorce, child custody, child support, alimony and the division of property.
Under the new mandatory mediation system, the parties involved in a dispute would be required to apply for mediation with the Social Welfare Bureau before taking legal action, with the government providing the mediation service free of charge.
Wong said that the family mediators would be assigned by the Social Welfare Bureau and would only consist of social workers from the government and community social welfare organisations.
[See more: China’s foreign minister visits Hong Kong for launch of global mediation body]
Training of eligible mediators is expected to begin sometime this year, if the law is passed, with around 200 to 300 social workers who are currently engaged in family counselling due to take part.
Wong added that no additional funds for the new system would be required, as it would make use of the Social Welfare Bureau’s pre-existing budget.
To ensure the effectiveness and practicality of the proposed legislation, the SAR government has gathered feedback from the judiciary, the legal sector, as well as the relevant family and social service organisations.
Date cited by Macao Daily News indicates that there are approximately 1,000 family disputes that are subject to legal action each year. Around three-fourths of the family cases that are currently undergoing review in Macao’s court system are classified as mutual divorce cases, while the remaining ones primarily involve other divorce suits and parental custody.
