PADLEY & PADLEY

In the matter of *Padley & Padley*, Stevenson J considered an application to vary existing parenting orders concerning a child. The dispute involved the terms under which the father would spend time with the child, with the mother seeking to impose conditions on this time.

The central legal issue before the court was whether to vary an existing order to make the father's time with the child conditional upon his being accompanied by a nominated supervisor for the initial period of each contact. The court was required to determine the best interests of the child in light of the proposed variation.

Stevenson J reasoned that the proposed conditions were necessary to ensure the child's safety and well-being during contact with the father. The court applied the principles of the *Family Law Act 1975* (Cth) regarding the paramountcy of the child's best interests. The court ordered that the father's time with the child, as previously ordered, would be conditional upon him being accompanied by one of a list of specified persons, or another agreed person providing an undertaking, for the first hour of all such periods. This undertaking required the supervisor to be present for the first hour of contact and to notify the mother if the father failed to comply with the parenting orders.