NGHIEM & ROGER

The case of *Nghiem & Roger* concerned parenting orders made by Ainslie-Wallace J in the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia. The dispute involved the arrangements for a child, N, between the Father, Mr Roger, and the Mother. The court was required to make orders regarding the time the Father would spend with the child and the communication and co-operation between the parents concerning the child's welfare.

The primary legal issues before the court were the specific terms of the parenting orders, including the frequency and duration of the Father's time with the child, the provision of information regarding the child's daily routine, and the Father's obligations to maintain consistency in that routine while the child was in his care. The court also considered the circumstances under which the Father would need to notify the Mother about alternative care arrangements for the child.

Ainslie-Wallace J reasoned that it was in the child's best interests to establish a clear and consistent routine, and to facilitate communication between the parents regarding the child's care. The court ordered that the Father spend time with the child for three days each week, from Saturday afternoon to Tuesday afternoon. The Mother was directed to provide the Father with written details of the child's daily routine, and the Father was ordered to use his best endeavours to ensure the child's routine was not unduly disrupted while in his care. Furthermore, the Father was required to notify the Mother as soon as possible if the child needed to be cared for by someone other than the paternal grandparents due to the Father's work commitments.