Lannon and Lannon & Anor (No 2)

Cleary J considered parenting and property settlement matters between the parties, Mr Lannon and Mrs Lannon. The dispute concerned the children's living arrangements, parental responsibility, and the division of the parties' assets.

The court was required to determine the best interests of the children, E, F, and G, in light of their meaningful relationships with both parents, their exposure to parental conflict, and the parties' failure to consult on long-term decisions. Additionally, the court had to decide on the allocation of sole parental responsibility and the division of the parties' net assets.

The court found that while both parents had the capacity to meet the children's needs, their capacity to focus on those needs was impaired by their conflict. To minimise exposure to conflict and provide stability, the father was deemed to be in the better position to be the primary carer, with a parenting arrangement of nine days per fortnight with the father and five days per fortnight with the mother. The father was granted sole parental responsibility, with a structured method for information exchange regarding long-term decisions. In relation to property, given the parties commenced their relationship on an approximately equal footing and had comparable positions throughout, an equal division of net assets was ordered, including a cash adjustment to the mother.