BALTHIS & McNAIR

This matter concerned orders made by Judge Young regarding the parental responsibility and time arrangements for a child, X. The dispute centred on the mother's proposed relocation to Brisbane and the father's residence, which could be either Brisbane or Darwin, impacting the practicalities of the time and contact orders.

The court was required to determine the specific arrangements for shared parental responsibility, the child's primary residence, and the extent and nature of the time the child would spend with each parent, particularly in light of the potential interstate relocation. Further issues included the facilitation of communication between the father and the child, travel arrangements, passport custody, and specific injunctions to ensure the child's welfare and protect them from parental conflict.

The court ordered equal shared parental responsibility, with the child to live with the mother. Crucially, the mother was permitted to relocate to Brisbane with the child. The orders then detailed extensive provisions for the child's time with the father, differentiating between scenarios where the father resided in Brisbane or Darwin. These provisions included specific weekend and mid-week arrangements, holiday allocations, and detailed communication protocols via electronic means. The court also made orders regarding travel, passport arrangements, and imposed significant injunctions restraining both parties from denigrating the other parent, discussing inappropriate matters with the child, or exposing the child to family violence or substance abuse.