GEORGE & GEORGE

The case of *George & George* concerned a dispute between a husband and wife regarding property settlement, child support, and spousal maintenance. The court was required to determine a just and equitable adjustment of the parties' assets, considering their contributions during the marriage, post-separation contributions, and the disparity in their income-earning capacities. Additionally, the court had to consider an application for a child support departure order for non-periodic payments and an application for spousal maintenance.

The court's reasoning for the property settlement involved acknowledging the parties' agreement of equal contributions during the marriage, while also weighing the husband's significant initial contributions against the wife's role as primary homemaker and parent. The court considered the impact of post-separation contributions and the significant use of capital by both parties during that period. For child support, the court applied section 124 of the *Child Support (Assessment) Act 1989* (Cth), assessing whether the husband had sufficient surplus income to make the requested non-periodic payments and determining a just and equitable apportionment of these costs. The application for spousal maintenance was dismissed as the wife was found to have an asset base sufficient to adequately support herself post-property settlement.

The court ordered a division of property, including the transfer of the former matrimonial home to the wife and the transfer of other assets, including properties and company interests, to the husband, along with specific monetary payments. The husband was ordered to pay 75 per cent of the children's non-periodic child support expenses, including school fees, uniforms, extracurricular activities, and medical expenses, until each child completed their Higher School Certificate. The wife's application for spousal maintenance was dismissed. The court also made detailed provisions regarding the sale of certain properties in the event of non-compliance with the orders, and allocated responsibility for costs associated with certain companies.