HAAS & BABCOCK

In HAAS & BABCOCK, the parties, the father and mother, sought orders concerning the parenting arrangements for their child, X. The dispute involved determining the nature of parental responsibility and the specific time the child would spend with each parent, as well as other ancillary matters related to the child's upbringing and welfare. The matter was heard by Brown J.

The court was required to determine, among other things, whether to make orders for equal shared parental responsibility, the specific time the child would spend with each parent, and how major long-term decisions concerning the child's education, health, and upbringing should be made. The court also considered arrangements for special occasions, school holidays, and the location of handovers between parents.

Brown J made orders for equal shared parental responsibility, requiring the parents to consult on all major long-term decisions regarding the child's education, religious and cultural upbringing, health, names, and significant changes to living arrangements. The court ordered that the child live with the father and spend time with the mother on alternate weekends and on specified public holidays and special occasions, with alternating arrangements for Christmas and Easter. The court also made specific provisions for school holidays, including a requirement for the child to spend alternate weeks with the mother during Christmas holidays, ensuring the child was with the father for at least one week prior to the resumption of school. Further orders mandated that handovers occur at a specific police station unless otherwise agreed, and required both parents to complete a parenting program and the father to engage with disability services. The appointment of an Independent Children's Lawyer was dismissed.