Harding and Watson

In the matter of *Harding and Watson*, heard by Judge Curtain, the court considered applications concerning the parenting of a child, X. The mother had filed contravention applications on 27 March 2015 and 26 October 2015. The proceedings involved significant disputes regarding the child's welfare and the mother's capacity to care for X.

The central legal issues before the court were whether the mother had contravened previous parenting orders, the appropriate orders to be made regarding parental responsibility, the child's living arrangements, and the nature and extent of contact between the mother and X. The court was also required to determine the future role of any independent experts and supervisors in managing the mother's contact with the child.

Judge Curtain's reasoning led to the dismissal of the mother's contravention applications and the discharge of all prior parenting orders. The court found it necessary to make new orders to safeguard X's well-being. Consequently, the father was granted sole parental responsibility for X, and X was ordered to live with the father. The mother was directed to engage an independent psychiatrist at her own expense for therapy and treatment, with the psychiatrist to assess her suitability for contact with X. Contact between the mother and X was to be supervised and limited in frequency and duration, commencing only after the psychiatrist confirmed the mother's treatment had been effective and she posed no risk to X's emotional and psychological well-being. The court also maintained a previous consent order that required the mother to seek leave of the court before instituting any further proceedings under the *Family Law Act 1975* (Cth) against the father.