Denford and Manville (No. 3)

This case concerned parenting orders for two children, Y and X. The dispute between the mother and father led to the court making detailed orders regarding parental responsibility, living arrangements, time spent with each parent, school holidays, special days, communication, exchange of information, and injunctions. The court also made orders concerning the children's education, therapy, and overseas travel, and discharged the Independent Children's Lawyer.

The primary legal issues before the court were how to best promote the children's welfare and best interests, particularly in relation to their living arrangements, the allocation of parental responsibility for major long-term decisions, and the specific time each parent would spend with the children. The court was also required to consider and address issues of communication between the parents, the exchange of information regarding the children's health and education, and to implement protective measures through injunctions to prevent denigration, inappropriate discussions, and certain types of recordings or presentations of the children.

Forrest J made comprehensive orders aimed at establishing a clear and structured framework for the parents' involvement in the children's lives. The court ordered equal shared parental responsibility for major long-term issues, with specific provisions for the children's schooling and therapy for one child. The children were ordered to live with the mother, with detailed provisions for the father's time with them, including a transition to alternate weekends and specific arrangements for school holidays and special days. The court also imposed injunctions restraining the parents from denigrating each other, discussing proceedings with the children, making certain recordings, or presenting the children for medical examinations or police interviews regarding allegations of abuse without prior court order or written agreement. Further orders addressed appropriate behaviour within the home, privacy, and restrictions on overseas travel.