Knill and Beckett

This matter concerned an appeal to the Supreme Court of Victoria concerning parenting orders for a child born in 2015. The appeal was brought by the mother, Ms Knill, against the father, Mr Beckett, following orders made by Judge Neville on 30 September 2016. The dispute centred on the terms of shared parental responsibility, particularly in relation to the child's health and medical care.

The primary legal issue before Gill J was whether Order 2 of the original parenting orders, which dealt with equal shared parental responsibility and specific arrangements for the child's medical care, should be amended. This involved considering the appropriate balance between shared decision-making and the practicalities of managing a child's health, especially where disagreements might arise between parents.

Gill J amended Order 2 to provide for equal shared parental responsibility, but with specific provisions to resolve potential deadlocks. The mother was granted the final say on decisions concerning the child's health, absent agreement. Further, the orders stipulated that the child was to attend a specific General Practitioner and paediatrician, unless an emergency necessitated otherwise. Crucially, both parents were required to authorise the release of medical information to each other and to inform each other in writing of proposed medical appointments, including the practitioner's identity, appointment details, and the reason for consultation. The court also clarified that parents were not to attend medical appointments together.