Close and Close

In *Close and Close*, Watts J of the Family Court of Australia considered an application to vary existing parenting orders concerning the time a child, C, would spend with his parents, the father and the mother. The dispute centred on the practical arrangements for C's living arrangements, school holidays, and specific activities, as well as the father's consumption of alcohol in relation to his time with C.

The court was required to determine the terms of new orders regarding C's weekly living arrangements, the division of school holiday time between the parents, and specific conditions to be imposed on the father concerning C's safety during certain activities and travel. Additionally, the court needed to address the father's alcohol consumption in proximity to C and when undertaking activities with him.

Watts J's decision involved varying the previous orders by consent. The court established a fortnightly shared care arrangement for C, detailing collection and return times between parents, and also made specific provisions for C's time with his father during the Christmas 2010 school holidays. Crucially, the court imposed strict conditions on the father, requiring close supervision of C during horse or motorcycle riding and in the vicinity of horses, and prohibiting the father from consuming alcohol in excess of legal driving limits for a specified period before and during any travel with C outside the Sydney metropolitan area. These conditions were incorporated into the orders, along with information regarding contravention consequences and support services.