Mink and Lamb

In the matter of *Mink and Lamb*, Bell J of the Family Court of Australia considered an application by the mother for sole parental responsibility for the parties' two children, a daughter born in December 1995 and a son born in May 1997. The dispute concerned the allocation of parental responsibility and the nature of the father's communication with the children.

The court was required to determine whether to grant the mother sole parental responsibility for the children and to vary existing orders regarding the father's contact with them. Specifically, the court had to consider the appropriate arrangements for the father to communicate with the children and the practicalities of their time spent with him.

Bell J ordered that the mother have sole parental responsibility for the children. The court varied previous orders to stipulate that the father communicate with the children by telephone each Tuesday between 6:30 pm and 7:00 pm, with the mother to facilitate any such communication attempts by the children. Furthermore, the father was made responsible for collecting and returning the children to the mother's residence for any time spent with him. All other applications were dismissed. The orders included a fact sheet detailing the obligations, potential consequences of contravention, and sources of assistance for compliance, pursuant to ss 65DA(2) and 62B of the relevant legislation.