Reagan and Wentworth

In the matter of Reagan and Wentworth, Loughnan J of the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia made orders on an undefended basis, as there was no appearance by or on behalf of the mother. The dispute concerned the parental responsibility and living arrangements for the child, M, born in 2010.

The court was required to determine the extent of parental responsibility, where the child would live, and the conditions under which the child would spend time with the mother. Additionally, the court considered the proposed arrangements for the mother's time with the child, including the necessity of supervised contact and specific conditions for the cessation of supervision, as well as communication protocols between the parents and provisions for information sharing and notification regarding the child's welfare.

Loughnan J ordered that the father have sole parental responsibility for the child and that the child live with the father. The child was to spend time with the mother on conditions to be agreed in writing, or in default of agreement, as proposed by the father. These proposed default arrangements included alternate weekend time, an afternoon during the intervening week, overnight time during school holidays, and time on specified special days, all to be supervised. The supervision was to continue until the mother could demonstrate, through a psychologist's report, compliance with medication, engagement in therapy and psycho-educational courses, completion of a parenting course, and sustained psychological stability for 12 months. Further orders addressed communication between parents, attendance at child's events, information access, notification of appointments and health issues, restraint from denigration, provision of contact details, and notice for relocation. The orders incorporated particulars of obligations and consequences of contravention pursuant to sections 62B and 65DA(2) of the *Family Law Act 1975* (Cth), referencing an attached Fact Sheet.