Allinson & Eadie (No 2)

In the matter of Allinson & Eadie (No 2), Boyle J of the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia made orders concerning the parental responsibility and time arrangements for the child of the marriage, X, born in 2015. The dispute centred on how the parents, Mr Allinson (the applicant father) and Ms Eadie (the respondent mother), would share responsibility for and time with their child.

The court was required to determine the specific arrangements for shared parental responsibility, the child's living arrangements, and the detailed schedule of time the child would spend with each parent. This included establishing provisions for regular time, school holidays, public holidays such as Easter and Christmas, and the child's birthday. The court also needed to address practical matters such as changeovers, communication between parents and the child, travel arrangements, extracurricular activities, and the exchange of information regarding the child's schooling and medical care.

Boyle J ordered that the parties have equal shared parental responsibility for the child. The child was ordered to live with the mother, with specific and detailed provisions for the father's time with the child during school terms and holidays, including alternating weekends and complex arrangements for school breaks and public holidays. The orders also stipulated how changeovers would occur, the facilitation of communication between the child and the non-resident parent, and the conditions under which travel within Australia and overseas would be permitted. Further orders addressed the enrolment in extracurricular activities, the sharing of information about the child's schooling and medical treatment, and prohibitions against denigrating the other parent.