FURY & FURY

In the matter of FURY & FURY, Austin J of the Family Court of Australia considered an interim application concerning the living arrangements and time spent between the children and their parents. The dispute centred on the children's welfare and the most appropriate interim orders given the high level of parental conflict.

The court was required to determine with whom the children, B, C, and D, should live and spend time, and whether earlier consensual interim orders for equal time remained reasonably practicable and in the children's best interests. A key issue was the impact of parental conflict on the children's behaviour and the potential for parental alienation.

Applying the principles of the *Family Law Act 1975* (Cth), particularly section 60CC regarding the best interests of the child, the court found that the previous orders for equal time were no longer appropriate. The Family Consultant's assessment indicated that the father may have been aligning the children against the mother, and the children were exhibiting behavioural issues when with the mother. Consequently, the court ordered that the children shall live with the mother and spend supervised time with the father for two hours each week at an approved contact centre, with costs to be shared equally. The court also made directions regarding the implementation of these orders, including the involvement of the Independent Children's Lawyer and the provision of a fact sheet detailing the obligations and consequences of contravention.