ANDREWS & GRANT

This matter concerned an application before Ainslie-Wallace J in the Family Court of Australia, brought by Mr Andrews (the father) and Ms Grant (the mother) regarding the parenting arrangements for their child, L. The dispute centred on the terms of contact between the father and the child, L, who was born in October 2007.

The court was required to determine the specific orders concerning the time L would spend with her father, Mr Andrews. This included establishing a schedule for contact, outlining procedures for the collection and delivery of the child, and setting conditions related to the father's conduct and responsibilities during his time with L. The court also had to consider provisions for drug and alcohol testing, and the father's participation in a parenting program.

Ainslie-Wallace J made detailed orders regarding L's time with her father, commencing with an initial eight-week period and progressing to subsequent eight-week periods with increasing contact duration. The orders stipulated specific times for Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday contact, with a gradual extension of Saturday contact. The court also established a designated meeting point for exchanges, with conditions for direct collection from the mother's home. Further orders addressed the father's responsibilities concerning child car seats, communication of his contact details, ongoing psychotherapy, and a prohibition on alcohol consumption prior to and during contact. The father was also ordered to refrain from using non-prescribed drugs and to submit to urinalysis upon request, with the costs borne by him. Additionally, the father was directed to enrol in and complete a Triple P Parenting Program within four months. A significant note recorded the parties' agreement that if L became significantly distressed during contact, the father would return her to the mother's care.