Gee and Long

This matter concerned parenting orders for a child, X, born in 2008, between the parents, Ms Gee (the mother) and Mr Long (the father). The court was required to determine the parenting arrangements for X, considering the primary considerations outlined in section 60CC(2) of the *Family Law Act 1975* (Cth).

The court was tasked with determining the benefit to X of having a meaningful relationship with both parents and the need to protect X from physical or psychological harm from abuse, neglect, or family violence. Crucially, the court was mandated by section 60CC(2A) to give greater weight to the protection from harm consideration. The court also considered the evidence presented by both parents regarding their involvement in X's life and the findings of the family report concerning the expressed affection between X and his parents.

The court found that X had a meaningful relationship with both parents, citing evidence of their respective involvements in his education, development, and daily care. While acknowledging some exposure to parental conflict, the court noted that the relationship between the parents was not acrimonious to a concerning degree, with no volatile changeover incidents and relatively civil communication. Nevertheless, the court emphasised the importance of protecting X from parental conflict. The court discharged all previous parenting orders and made new orders establishing equal shared parental responsibility, with X to live with the father. The orders detailed specific arrangements for the mother's time with X, including alternate weekends, regular video communication, and a division of school holidays and special days, with provisions for agreement between the parties and default arrangements. The orders also included injunctions restraining the parties from denigrating each other or discussing proceedings in the child's presence, and prohibited corporal punishment. Further orders addressed communication, travel, medical information, school reports, and the father's attendance at a post-separation parenting program.