Adamo & Vinci (No 2)

This case concerned parenting and property disputes between Mr Adamo and Ms Vinci. The parenting dispute involved ongoing parental conflict, with the children spending time with the father on an ad hoc basis and seeking more regular contact. The father alleged parental alienation, while also having directed abusive language towards the mother. One child suffered from an illness. The property dispute involved the division of assets after a six-year de facto relationship post-separation.

The court was required to determine the parenting arrangements that were in the best interests of the children, considering the allegations of parental alienation and the father's past conduct. In relation to property, the court needed to assess the contributions of each party, both during the marriage and post-separation, to determine a just and equitable division of the marital pool.

Rees J ordered that the parents have equal shared parental responsibility for the children, with the children to live with the mother. The father was granted significant, but not equal, time with the children during school terms and holidays, with specific provisions for weekends, mid-week contact, and holiday periods, including Christmas and Easter. The court also made orders regarding communication, travel, and the prevention of denigration of either parent. In the property division, the court ordered the wife to pay the husband $402,000 within six months, reflecting a 70/30 split in favour of the wife, with a ten per cent adjustment for her future needs. Further orders addressed the division of a superannuation interest and the discontinuance of other proceedings.