Derham and Spiller (No.2)

This matter concerned an application by the mother for sole parental responsibility for the child, X, and related parenting orders. The dispute involved the allocation of parental responsibility, the child's residence, and the time the child would spend with each parent, including arrangements for interstate and international travel. The court was required to determine the best interests of the child in light of the parents' circumstances and the child's needs.

The court was tasked with determining the appropriate level of parental responsibility for each parent, whether the child should live with the mother, and the specific arrangements for the child to spend time with the father. This included defining the duration and frequency of time spent together, both within Australia and internationally, as well as communication methods such as Skype. The court also had to consider the practicalities of travel arrangements and the need for notification regarding international travel.

In its reasoning, the court applied the principles of the *Family Law Act 1975* (Cth), focusing on the best interests of the child. The court ordered that the mother have sole parental responsibility but stipulated that she must notify and discuss major decisions regarding the child's education, health, and religious upbringing with the father. The child was ordered to live with the mother, with specific, progressively increasing time arrangements for the father, including overnight stays and provisions for international travel at the father's expense. The court also mandated regular communication via Skype and set out detailed collection and return arrangements, along with notice periods for the father's visits to Australia and for international travel with the child. Finally, an Airport Watch List order previously in place was discharged.