GUTHRIE & RUSHTON

This matter concerned property settlement proceedings between a husband and wife, heard by Murphy J. The dispute revolved around the division of the parties' property and superannuation interests.

The court was required to determine the appropriate proportions for the division of the parties' identified property and superannuation interests, and to make orders giving effect to this division pursuant to section 79 of the *Family Law Act 1975* (Cth). A specific issue was the treatment of the husband's superannuation interest, which comprised an entitlement to a Public Official pension, requiring consideration under section 90MT of the Act.

Murphy J ordered that the parties' property and superannuation interests be divided 42.5% to the wife and 57.5% to the husband, with each party retaining the assets attributed to them in paragraph 46 of the reasons. The husband was also ordered to pay the wife $150,000 within 30 days. Furthermore, the husband's Public Official pension superannuation interest was to be split 30% to the wife and 70% to the husband. The parties were directed to confer to settle the precise terms of the orders, including those necessary for the superannuation split, and to cooperate with the trustee of the husband's superannuation interest. The court outlined a procedure for finalising the orders, including provisions for the trustee to be heard or to indicate no objection, with the court to make final orders in chambers if the proposed minutes were considered appropriate.