ALVARAS & ALVARAS

This matter concerned a dispute between the mother and father regarding the parenting arrangements for their two children, X and Y. The parties presented a consent order to the court, which included provisions for equal shared parental responsibility and a detailed schedule for the children's time with each parent. The core of the dispute, as indicated by the catchwords, revolved around which parent the children should primarily live with, despite the proposed nine-nights-a-fortnight arrangement with one parent and five with the other.

The court was required to determine the specific living arrangements for X and Y, including the allocation of time during weekdays, weekends, school holidays, and significant dates such as Christmas and birthdays. Additionally, the court needed to address ongoing communication, information sharing, and parental conduct, as well as the completion of parenting courses by both parties. The court also had to consider the implications of contravening the orders made.

Judge Riley made orders by consent, establishing equal shared parental responsibility for X and Y. The court ordered that X and Y live with their mother, with specific provisions for the children to spend time and communicate with their father. These provisions included alternating weekly arrangements and a division of school holidays. Further orders detailed the children's time with each parent on Christmas, their birthdays, and other significant days, along with arrangements for changeovers and communication. The orders also included undertakings regarding information sharing, notification of illness or injury, and parental conduct, as well as mandatory parenting courses for both parents. The court noted the particulars of obligations and consequences of contravention, as well as information about support services, and approved the publication of the judgment under a pseudonym pursuant to section 121(9)(g) of the *Family Law Act 1975* (Cth).