Johnson & Anor and Chompunut

In the matter of *Johnson & Anor and Chompunut*, heard before Watts J, the applicants, Mr and Ms Johnson, sought orders for the child W, born in September 2010, to live with them and for them to have equal shared parental responsibility for the child. The respondent was Ms Chompunut.

The primary legal issue before the court was whether it was in the best interests of the child for W to live with the applicants and for them to share parental responsibility. This required the court to consider the relevant provisions of the *Family Law Act 1975* (Cth) concerning parental responsibility and the principles governing the determination of a child's best interests in parenting proceedings.

Watts J made orders that the child W live with the applicants, Mr and Ms Johnson. Furthermore, the court ordered that the applicants have equal shared parental responsibility for making decisions regarding both long-term and day-to-day issues concerning the child.