Reporter Adam Hegarty has fought back tears after listening to an Australian mother tell how she was forced to return her daughter to an allegedly abusive father overseas.

The 60 Minutes veteran was covering the stories of multiple women who have had their children legally taken under the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction.

While the treaty, which Australia is a signatory of, was designed to protect children by stopping one parent unlawfully taking a child across international borders, it has garnered criticism for not taking into account when women flee domestic violence.

Joanne, a pseudonym to protect her identity, revealed in 2023, just a few days before Christmas, her young daughter was literally ripped from her arms and flown back to her father overseas when she lost a Hague order.

The moment had been filmed by authorities and, although she cannot watch the clip, she played the audio for Hegarty, which captured her daughter sobbing uncontrollably and begging with her mother to ‘not let them take me’.

‘What hurts the most listening back to that?’ Hegarty asked.

‘The pain in her voice,’ Joanne replied.

‘I felt that,’ a visibly emotional Hegarty replied. 

Joanne with her daughter shortly before she was taken by authorities in 2023

Hegarty became visibly emotional when he heard the clip of the child begging to stay with her mother

Lawyer and advocate Dr Gina Masterton has been dealing with similar cases for years and told the program background checks on the fathers are cursory at best.

‘He could be a Colombian drug lord. He could be running a motorcycle gang,’ she told the program.

‘It’s just he checks three boxes on an application, and within six to eight weeks, the child’s on a plane.’

She is among a number of growing calls for the Australian government to review the law so it gives domestic violence concerns more weight. 

Federal Attorney-General Michelle Rowland said the law was complex, but the safety of children was paramount for the government.

‘The Albanese Government is committed to protecting women and children, especially those fleeing family and domestic violence,’ she said.

‘We recognise the Hague Convention is relied upon in complex and distressing circumstances for all parties.

‘While it would be inappropriate to comment on individual matters, the Government remains committed to ensuring the safe implementation of the Convention and has taken action to improve its application in Australia, particularly for women and children fleeing family violence.’

The Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia said it applies the law as it stands. 

‘The Court decides cases according to law. This includes considering evidence of family violence, which the Court takes very seriously. 

‘The Court’s decisions and the reasons behind those decisions are publicly available. It is otherwise not appropriate for the Court to comment on matters of Government policy.’