Healey and Osbourne

In the matter of Healey and Osbourne, heard before Judge Middleton, the dispute concerned parenting orders for two children. The orders addressed issues of residence, parental responsibility, and the time the children would spend with each parent, including specific arrangements for supervised contact and a phased approach to unsupervised time.

The court was required to determine the most appropriate arrangements for the children, considering their best interests. This involved making decisions regarding where the children would live, how parental responsibilities would be shared, and the nature and frequency of contact between the children and their father, particularly in light of the existing circumstances and the involvement of external support services.

Judge Middleton ordered that the children live with the mother and that both parents have equal shared parental responsibility. The mother and children were permitted to continue residing in Queensland. The court also made detailed provisions for the children to spend time with the father, commencing with supervised contact at Harmony House and gradually transitioning to unsupervised time over a period of months, contingent on compliance with the orders. Both parents were directed to engage with Harmony House and Relationships Australia for intake sessions and parenting programs, and to comply with the directions of the Harmony House coordinator. The proceedings were subsequently transferred to the Federal Circuit Court of Australia for further directions.