Coakes and Arden

This matter concerned orders made by Judge Middleton regarding the parental responsibility, living arrangements, and time spent with a child born in 2014. The dispute involved the Father and Mother of the child, who sought to establish clear arrangements for their shared care and the child's welfare.

The court was required to determine the extent of equal shared parental responsibility, how decisions regarding the child's day-to-day care, welfare, and development would be made, and the specific schedule for the child to live with the Father and spend time with the Mother. Further issues included provisions for special occasions, communication between the parents and the child, arrangements for changeovers, and the exchange of information regarding the child's health and education. The court also addressed the process for international travel with the child and the issuance and possession of the child's Australian passport.

The court ordered that the Father and Mother have equal shared parental responsibility for the child, with each party responsible for decisions concerning the child's day-to-day care, welfare, and development when the child is in their care. The child was ordered to live with the Father and spend time with the Mother according to a detailed schedule, which included provisions for weekends, weekdays, school holidays, and special occasions. The orders also stipulated communication protocols, changeover arrangements, and mutual obligations to keep each other informed about the child's health, education, and residential details. The court further made orders regarding international travel, requiring specific notice periods and documentation, and addressed the issuance, renewal, and possession of the child's Australian passport, dispensing with the Mother's consent for its issuance or renewal if she failed to comply with travel provisions.