Send us a text

Episode 7

Guest - Adam Mitchell

On my next episode of the Broken Fathers Podcast features Adam Mitchell, a Broken Father of two daughters from NSW Southern Highlands.

Adam completed his trade right after high school and then moved to England, where he worked for BMW in London before starting his own construction business.
After meeting his partner (now his ex), they married a few years later. Adam eventually left the relationship due to domestic violence, constant psychological distress, and feeling devalued. He describes a shift in his ex-partner's behaviour, where her primary focus became money and keeping Adam away from his daughters. According to Adam, things escalated quickly after his daughter was born.

In this episode, we discuss the significant support available to women under the banner of domestic violence, including government grants and legal support teams, and contrast this with the lack of support for fathers. We also highlight the misuse of the system, the spread of false and misleading information, and the encouragement of certain agencies.

Adam shares his experience with ADVOs (Apprehended Domestic Violence Orders) and how even minor incidents can be classified as breaches, leading to significant stress. He also talks about the emotional toll of constantly disproving false allegations.
Adam was jailed five times for what the system called “DV breaches”—for example, sending a message asking about his daughters’ education. He recounts leaving prison in his prison greens with an issued bus card because taxi services wouldn’t pick him up in prison overalls.

Despite these challenges, Adam continues to extend goodwill to his ex-partner, even when it's not reciprocated. This episode will be very helpful to fathers facing the unknown world of “DV breaches.”
We discuss that there has to better ways to the family court process, Adam paid for a private family report which cost him $12,100. Like most other cases, the court requested Adam to get another one. Guess how much that cost him? Another $12,100. The crazy thing is, not only did Adam pay top dollar, but the report writer also got a lot of important facts wrong in the report.

Adam is working on an online Application for those who are entering the court system, you I scenario based you can access a path you think your ongoing to go down or you are already on. Find supporting documentation through that path, find contacts that can navigate through it, talk to other dads that have been through it. There is a stack of information that will be available on their that will be able to make you the driver, this will help lift the burden of stressful workload you’ll face in court

Send us a text

Episode 6

Guest - Torik Dib

Hey everyone, unfortunately, I had to edit out the segment featuring the broken father from this episode, as it was filmed four months ago and he is now involved in ongoing court proceedings. However, my other guest shares valuable insights and knowledge about the court system, which I'm excited for everyone to hear. Due to these edits, the episode may feel a bit disjointed at times, but I appreciate your understanding

In an unmissable and profoundly illuminating episode, I am joined for the first time by a distinguished criminal and family lawyer, Torik Dib. Born and raised on the Gold Coast as one of six siblings, Torik chose to follow in his brother’s footsteps, becoming an integral part of the renowned Dib & Associates Lawyers in Sydney.

While we’ve previously heard from fathers, partners, and the children of those who have personally experienced the family court system, this episode offers perhaps the most unique and insightful perspective to date. Torik provides an insider’s depth of privileged knowledge and exclusive expertise from a member of the legal community—a professional who is not only intimately familiar with the system, but one who is also deeply troubled by its flaws and the injustices he witnesses every day.

For fathers currently navigating or about to enter the family court system, this episode is an indispensable resource. Torik tackles a wide range of critical topics, including the intricate and emotionally charged nature of family law, the overwhelming backlogs suffocating the court system, and the manipulative tactics some parties use to tilt the scales of custody—particularly false domestic violence accusations. He also explores complex international legal matters, such as the Hague Convention, and offers a candid look at the universal challenges fathers face during the lengthy and emotionally draining process.

When it comes to practical advice, Torik shares essential tips on how to find effective legal counsel, stressing the importance of hiring a lawyer who can position you strategically at every stage of the process and adapt to the ever-changing dynamics of different judges. He also offers insights into mediation, revealing his personal approach and emphasising the importance of attempting every possible avenue of resolution before resorting to court proceedings.

Torik leaves listeners with a powerful and poignant thought: “The idle mind is the devil’s playground.” This serves as a crucial reminder for fathers to prioritise their mental and physical well-being, ensuring they stay resilient and focused as they navigate the legal system.

This episode is a must-listen—packed with unparalleled expertise, invaluable insights, and guidance that you won’t find anywhere else.

Send us a text

Episode 5

Guest - Ella Ware

In a groundbreaking episode of the Broken Fathers Podcast, we sit down with Ella Ware, a Broken Daughter, who endured parental alienation and was deprived of a relationship with her loving father. For the first time, we explore this experience through the eyes of the child, offering a deeper and more nuanced understanding of her thoughts, emotions, and personal journey.

Ella recounts how, following her parents’ separation, her mother subjected her and her two siblings to years of emotional abuse, psychological manipulation, and cruel mind games. She describes the deep sense of being used as pawns in a cruel strategy to hurt their father. Ella also reveals how she witnessed her mother deceitfully manipulate various organisations and exploit the system for financial gain—an act Ella believes was driven purely by spite.

Ella provides a more comprehensive view of her father’s actions, sharing both her childhood experiences of the efforts she witnessed him make and the insights and regrets she has only come to fully understand and appreciate as an adult.

Perhaps the most distinctive aspect discussed in this episode is how Ella’s experiences have shaped her own divorce and co-parenting journey. As a Broken Daughter, she has a profound understanding of the importance of both parents being involved in her children’s lives. Ella is dedicated to fostering a co-parenting relationship built on mutual respect, prioritising the well-being of her children. Having witnessed the harmful impact the legal system, along with organisations like Child Safety and Child Support, can have on fathers, she has become a passionate advocate for equal parenting rights.

Send us a text

Episode 4

Guests - Siuatonga Likiliki and Monie Reed

For the first time on Broken Fathers Podcast, we will be sitting down with a couple, a Broken Father Siuatonga Likiliki and his current partner Monie Reed. Liki is a father of four children.

** NOTE FOR LISTENERS: Unfortunately, Liki has sustained damage to his larynx from a past injury, which may sometimes make it difficult to hear him clearl **

Liki was a former international rugby league footballer, who had played in both the NRL and subsequently the Queensland Cup. After retiring from professional sport, his relationship with his ex-partner had broken down due to several serious issues. Liki commenced FIFO work in the resources sector, to support his children and his ex-partner financially.

Liki shares his experiences with coercive control, including how his children were used as pawns in this process, as well as domestic violence, parental alienation, spousal maintenance, and various other aspects of the legal proceedings. Liki and Monie also discuss their efforts to exhaust all avenues through the Hague Convention to retrieve his children, who were taken overseas without his consent. However, they faced ‘purposeful delay tactics’ from his ex-partner and significant backlogs in the judicial system, which ultimately resulted in his children being deemed ‘settled.’

This emotional and educational portrait depicts a father (raised harshly himself) who only ever wanted to give his children the best life possible, but was ultimately denied this basic privilege. It also offers valuable insight into the unique challenges and struggles faced by current partners, spouses, and their children, and the domino effect these challenges have as they support and fight these battles alongside their men. Any partner/spouse that is currently supporting a Broken Father through similar circumstances, will benefit greatly from this episode.

Send us a text

Episode 3 

Guests - Troy Knight & Aidan Bourke
 
 On our third episode, I sit down with two Fathers: Troy Knight, a father of five children and Aidan Bourke, a father of three children. Both men are veterans who have known each other for almost two decades, and were also next-door neighbours one stage.

Troy had a decorated career within the Australian Airforce. Troy discusses the impacts on his relationship that working extended periods away from home to provide for his family had, and his ex-partner’s resentment that arose due to it, with an eventual separation taking place.

Troy discusses forms of parent alienation that his children began to notice their mother utilising even before the relationship had ended. He speaks about being deprived of seeing his children for a 13-month period, which only ended when his ex-partner wanted to offload his children whilst she went on holidays with her new partner. 

Aidan pursued a career in the Royal Australian Air Force joining No. 4 Squadron, deploying with Troy in the Special Operations Tactical Group overseas.

Aidan’s relationship with his spouse was also a casualty of extended periods away from home, and began to breakdown. Whilst dealing with this, Aidan also discovered he required a heart transplant, due to a genetic disorder within his family. After receiving the treatment and being released from hospital, Aidan bravely admits whilst in this vulnerable state, he feared for his safety due to acts of domestic violence inflicted upon him by his ex-spouse, forcing him to leave his own home and beloved children, and live elsewhere.

Aidan details how he tried to initiate separation documents, however did not receive anything back from his ex-spouse for over 14 months, later discovering this was deliberately done to allow time for him to receive his service-related injury compensation, which his ex-spouse attempted to claim was her entitlement.

Aidan also recounts his shambolic family court experience, where the legal team representing him were not aware of fundamental processes, and misinformed him about entitlements his ex-spouse had no rights to. This resulted in Aidan paying exorbitant amounts of money for no positive result, both in legal fees and relinquishing almost all his superannuation.

Since separation and a large financial gain in her favour, Aidan details how his ex-spouse weaponised his children against him, and has deprived him of access, not seeing his child for over five years. Amongst many other topics covered, Aidan also discusses how federal court orders issued by the family court are not worth the paper they are written on, detailing an injunction that was meant to prevent his children from being relocated, only for his ex-spouse to do so

Send us a text

Episode 2

Guest - Ben Carrigg

On the second episode of Broken Fathers Podcast, Purcy sits down with @gorillas_rex, a Broken Father of three beautiful boys. Before & during his legal battle for his children, Ben has also been employed as a 21-year emergency services worker, with his story demonstrating that no matter what you have done for your community or country, it means very little in the eyes of the Family Court.

Ben suffered a 12-year-long ordeal in the court system before gaining full custody of his children. Ben was also subjected to constant false claims of DV, which led to the vortex of “baseless allegations and being forced you disprove them”, where endless time, money & energy is spent dealing with deflections and diversion tactics aimed at breaking fathers in their goal of maintaining a relationship with their children. Ben’s story will also demonstrate the corruption within organisations such as Child Safety, where measures meant to provide fair and equitable governance such as ‘Conflict of Interest’ are made a mockery of. 
Ben opens up about hitting rock bottom, & shares the great lengths that he underwent to fund his legal battle, never thinking twice as he worked towards fulfilling his commitment to his sons, never forgetting the pinky promise they had made to each other. This commitment kept him not only focused, but alive, as at one point Ben was not able to see his boys for two and a half years. 

Another dimension we have not discussed in detail on Broken Fathers Podcast, is the impact that new partners/stepfathers can have on the children. Again, we warn our listeners that some things discussed in this episode may be triggering and extremely confronting, as you will hear the horrific abuse that Ben’s sons suffered in the care of their mother, at the hands of their stepfather.

Ben’s story is harrowing and painful to listen to, but also provides an example that there are silver linings in this process, albeit ones that are extremely hard fought. Ben is a true inspiration to all fathers, and parents, out there fighting for their children. In his own words……..
“Don’t be the passenger, be the driver“.

Send us a text

Episode 1

Guest - Jared Purcell

On our first ever episode of Broken Fathers Podcast, the host himself Jared Purcell (Purcy) calls in a fellow friend and acclaimed podcast host: Matty Morris from Zerolimits podcast to sit down & carry out the interview. 

Matty Morris was one of the major influences for Jared in deciding to create his own podcast, to provide a platform for Broken Fathers who have been defeated by the Family Court of Australia, to share their horrific experiences and expose the corrupt system to the general public. On the Broken Fathers Podcast, listeners will hear from men and women, who have been destroyed by this system, and are united in their determination to hold it accountable for the damage it is doing to fathers and their children.

In his three-year battle fighting for his daughter, Jared has personally faced over four-hundred (400) unsubstantiated and defamatory claims, resulting in endless Domestic Violence (DV) allegations and a subsequent trial, being relentlessly contacted by Child Protection, and investigated by Child Safety, ultimately resulting in ALL allegations and investigations being DISMISSED.

In the pilot episode for Broken Fathers Podcast, Jared explains how poorly managed the Family Court system is; highlights the emotional roller coaster that the process takes you on; and discusses how false DV allegations and parent alienation can ruin your life, employment, family, and friendships. He also explains how after being financially decimated through fighting this legal battle, and now on borrowed finances, he had to assess his quality of life, and how it was affecting him mentally, physically and emotionally. He details in painstaking agony, how he had to make the most painful and impossible decision of his life, to say goodbye to his beautiful daughter… & how he became a Broken Father.

Jared does not hold back in any way & is extremely raw throughout, However, this level of honesty and openness is vital in achieving Jared’s new purpose in life: creating a platform where broken fathers like him can also openly share their harrowing stories, in order to help others heal, to learn, and to raise awareness to end this injustice against men. 

Send us a text

Host - Jared Purcell (Purcy)

The Broken Fathers Podcast, founded by Australian veteran Jared Purcell, provides a platform for fathers to share their struggles, expose flaws in Australia’s outdated Family Court system, and advocate for change.