Paynes and Friswell

In the matter of *Paynes and Friswell*, heard before Judge Altobelli, the dispute concerned parenting orders for a child, X, born in 2006. The court was required to determine the living arrangements for the child and the nature of the time the child would spend with each parent.

The central legal issue before the court was the best interests of the child, a paramount consideration in parenting disputes under the *Family Law Act 1975* (Cth). This involved assessing the current parenting orders and determining whether they remained appropriate or if a variation was necessary to ensure the child's welfare and development.

Judge Altobelli discharged the existing parenting orders made on 8 December 2015. The court ordered that the child, X, live with the Father. The child was to spend time with the Mother, but this time was to be supervised by a professional children's contact service, with specific mention of CatholicCare Children’s Contact Service. Both parents were directed to complete an intake for supervised contact within seven days. The matter was adjourned for a mention on 2 August 2016.