Newport and Anor and Heath and Anor

The Family Court of Australia heard proceedings concerning the parenting of two children, D and E. The applicants were the maternal grandparents, Mr and Ms Newport, who sought urgent orders regarding the children's welfare. The respondents included the children's father, Mr Heath, and paternal grandmother, Ms G Heath, who supported the application, and the children's mother, Ms B Newport, who disputed some of the allegations made against her.

The court was required to determine the interim parenting arrangements for the children, including who should have parental responsibility, where the children should live, and the nature and extent of time the parents and paternal grandmother should spend with them. Additionally, the court needed to consider injunctive orders concerning the use of alcohol and illegal substances by the parents, the physical discipline of the children, and the children's contact with the mother's partner, Mr C.

Justice Benjamin made orders for equal shared parental responsibility in favour of the maternal grandparents, the father, and the paternal grandmother. The children were ordered to live with the maternal grandparents, and the father was to spend time with them on alternate weekends. The mother was to spend supervised time with the children, either through a contact centre or with a supervisor approved by the Independent Children's Lawyer. The court also made orders prohibiting the use of alcohol and illegal substances by the parents during their time with the children, prohibiting physical discipline of the children by any party, and preventing the children from being brought into contact with Mr C. These orders were to be accompanied by a fact sheet detailing obligations and consequences of contravention.