Papp & Myers

This matter concerned orders made by Harper J regarding the parenting arrangements for a child, X, born in 2015, between the child's parents, Mr Papp ("the father") and Ms Myers ("the mother"). The dispute centred on the terms of their parental responsibility and the specific time the child would spend with each parent, including arrangements for school terms, holidays, special occasions, and communication.

The court was required to determine the specific orders for equal shared parental responsibility, the child's living arrangements, and the detailed schedule for the child to spend time with each parent. This included establishing protocols for communication, travel, and the resolution of future disputes or variations to the orders, as well as addressing specific considerations arising from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Harper J made orders establishing equal shared parental responsibility for major long-term decisions concerning the child's care, welfare, and development. The child was ordered to live with the mother, with detailed provisions outlining the time the child would spend with the father, progressively increasing from weekends to longer periods, including during school terms and holidays. The orders also stipulated specific arrangements for special occasions, long weekends, birthdays, and established protocols for electronic communication between the parents and the child. Further orders addressed travel, extracurricular activities, information sharing, non-denigration, and the process for dispute resolution and variations, including mandatory counselling or mediation. The orders also included specific provisions for compliance with government directions related to the COVID-19 pandemic.