AXELL & McKNIGHT

In *AXELL & McKNIGHT*, the parties, referred to as the father and the mother, brought proceedings before Riley J concerning parenting and property matters. The parenting dispute involved allegations of the father being violent on occasion towards the children and the parents experiencing poor communication. In relation to property, the husband had a greater earning capacity, while the wife had undertaken the greater amount of child care. The husband had also contributed two inheritances towards the mortgage.

The court was required to determine the parenting arrangements for the children, considering the allegations of violence and the communication difficulties between the parents. Concurrently, the court had to make orders for the division of the parties' property, taking into account their respective contributions, earning capacities, and the impact of child care responsibilities.

Riley J considered the best interests of the children in determining the parenting orders, weighing the father's past conduct against the potential benefits of ongoing involvement. In the property division, the court applied the principles of the *Family Law Act 1975* (Cth), assessing the contributions of each party to the marriage, including financial contributions from inheritances, and non-financial contributions such as child care. The court also considered future needs and earning capacities when determining a just and equitable distribution of the marital assets. The specific orders made by the court are not detailed in the provided text.