Randal and Karpati & Anor (No. 2)

In this matter before Forrest J, the court considered a dispute between the First Respondent Mother and the Applicant Father concerning parenting orders. The proceedings involved allegations of contravention of existing orders by the mother.

The court was required to determine whether the mother had contravened specific paragraphs of parenting orders made on 10 August 2018, and if so, whether she had done so without reasonable excuse. Additionally, the court needed to make orders regarding the future living arrangements and time spent between the children and each parent, as well as address parental responsibility for major long-term issues.

Forrest J declared that the mother had contravened paragraphs 2(c), 2(a), and 3(a) of the orders made on 10 August 2018 on multiple occasions without reasonable excuse. Consequently, the court discharged all previous parenting orders, with the exception of specific paragraphs from orders made on 10 November 2017. The court then made new orders until further order, stipulating that the children shall live with the mother, with detailed provisions for the children to spend time with the father, including alternate weekends, mid-week time, and school holiday arrangements. The orders also clarified equal shared parental responsibility for two children and sole parental responsibility for the third on major long-term issues, with specific exceptions. Provisions were also made for handover arrangements, including the use of a contact centre or parental homes, and the mother was ordered to pay $500 towards the father's costs of the contravention proceedings.