Mulligan and Mulligan

This matter concerned an application to vary existing court orders concerning the time a child would spend with their father. The court was asked to consider proposed amendments to the existing orders regarding school holiday arrangements and specific periods when the child's time with the father would be suspended in favour of time with the mother. The court also considered proposed orders relating to the practical arrangements for the changeover of the child between parents.

The primary legal issues before the court were how to best structure the child's time with each parent during the long summer school holidays, taking into account the differing years and the need for clarity and predictability. Additionally, the court had to determine the specific dates and times when the child's time with the father would be suspended to allow for time with the mother, and to establish clear protocols for the changeover of the child between the parents during both school terms and school holidays.

The court varied the existing orders to incorporate specific provisions for the long summer school holidays, detailing the commencement and conclusion of the child's time with the father in alternating years. These variations aimed to provide a more defined and equitable distribution of time during these extended breaks. The court also varied an order to suspend the child's time with the father on specific dates, including Christmas and Mother's Day, to ensure the child spent that time with the mother. Furthermore, the court made detailed orders regarding changeover arrangements, specifying who would collect and deliver the child, the times for these changeovers, and the nominated persons who could act on behalf of each parent.