With special guest:
- Benjamin Wondergem
Our guest today brings a European flavour to the program. Benjamin has confronted both personally and professionally many of the problems we see in Australia relating to shared parenting and fathers gaining access to their own children if the other parent is unwilling.
Benjamin found a kindred spirit when he met our own Ken Thompson in The Netherlands in 2010. Benjamin and Ken were the joint winners of the Netherlands Father’s Day trophy in 2010.
Benjamin’s perspective on parenting issues and the Family Court comes from being a Police Officer with responsibility for enforcing the orders of the Courts in The Netherlands. Finding that there was a serious lack of knowledge even in the Police Force of the criminal nature of denying contact he took direct action by writing a thesis for a Masters degree in Criminal Investigation. The findings and recommendations in the thesis relating to changes in policy, procedures and training are now being considered by the senior ranks of The Netherlands Police.
Even though this is a holiday for Benjamin he has taken the time to compare progress in Australia and his home country. Outside of his efforts within the Police Force, Benjamin comments on some exciting developments involving a Professorial Chair being appointed to a University in The Netherlands to study fatherhood issues and a European group the Fathers’ Information Centre (or Father Knowledge Centre the literal translation).
At a personal level Benjamin gives us an update on his own battle to see his children.
Benjamin is on holiday in Australia but it is great for Dads on the Air listeners that he found time to talk to us on the current European situation with suggestions on what we in Australia can learn from his experience.
Benjamin Wondergem
Benjamin is a Police Officer in The Netherlands with tertiary qualifications in Criminal Investigation. He is a father of two children and in 2010 was a joint winner of The Netherlands Father of the Year Award. Benjamin provided great support for one of the Dads on the Air, Ken Thompson, while he was in Europe.
As well as that Benjamin is an accomplished musician and listeners have a chance today to hear two pieces from the Benjamin Wondergem/Ken Thompson duo with Benjamin on harmonica and sax, Ken on guitar. It is a great sound.
Song selections by our guest: House of the Rising Sun and Riders on the Storm performed by Ken Thompson & Benjamin Wondergem