McCulloch and Pickett

In *McCulloch and Pickett*, heard by Judge Small, the father applied to the Federal Circuit Court of Australia alleging that the mother had contravened parenting orders made on 9 March 2016. The father's applications detailed several instances where the mother allegedly failed to comply with the orders, including withdrawing the child from a hobby without consent, failing to collect children, and refusing the father time with the children on multiple occasions.

The central legal issue before the court was whether the mother had contravened the parenting orders without reasonable excuse, as alleged by the father. The court was required to determine if the specific actions of the mother constituted breaches of the court's orders and, if so, what consequences should follow.

The court found that the mother had, on multiple occasions and without reasonable excuse, contravened the parenting orders. These contraventions included withdrawing the child from a hobby, failing to collect the children, and refusing the father time with the children as stipulated in the orders. The court applied the provisions of section 70NFB(2) of the *Family Law Act 1975* to address these contraventions. Consequently, the mother was ordered to enter into a one-year bond to be of good behaviour and comply with court orders, to enrol in a post-separation parenting course, and to obtain a Mental Health Plan and attend psychological treatment, providing evidence of attendance to the father's solicitors. The father's contravention applications were otherwise dismissed.