BUCKLEY & BUCKLEY

This matter concerned orders made by Bell J in proceedings between Buckley & Buckley. The dispute involved parenting arrangements for a child, B, born in July 2005.

The court was required to determine the living arrangements for the child, the allocation of parental responsibility, and the nature and structure of the father's time with the child. Further issues included the father's communication with the child, the involvement of paternal family in the child's life and changeovers, and the father's involvement in the child's schooling and extracurricular activities. The court also addressed the mother's obligation to inform the father of health issues and the father's liberty to deal with medical service providers.

Bell J ordered that the child live with the mother and that the mother have sole parental responsibility. The father was to spend time with the child in the presence of paternal grandparents and/or paternal family, commencing with a structured, graduating program of supervised time. This included specific durations and times on alternate weekends, with changeovers at a designated contact centre or agreed location. The father was also ordered to communicate with the child by telephone on specified evenings, with the mother to ensure the child's availability and the calls to be in the presence of the father's family. Specific arrangements were made for Christmas Day 2013, and the paternal family was to attend all changeovers. The father was permitted to be involved with the child's school and extracurricular activities, again in the presence of his family. The mother was to inform the father of the child's health issues, and the father was at liberty to deal independently with medical service providers.

Further orders were made concerning the Independent Children's Lawyer, including the preparation of an updated Family Report by a specified date, the attendance of parties and the child at appointments for the report, and the liberty of the Independent Children's Lawyer to supply documentation to the report writer. The Independent Children's Lawyer was also given leave to relist the matter on short notice. Finally, the orders detailed the obligations and consequences of contravening the parenting orders, as set out in an annexed document.