RUTTLEDGE & RUTTLEDGE

This matter concerned orders made by Kent J regarding the parenting of three children, B, T, and N. The dispute involved the allocation of parental responsibility and time between the Father and the Mother.

The court was required to determine the terms of parenting orders, including who would have sole parental responsibility for major long-term issues, how daily care would be managed, and the specific arrangements for the children spending time with each parent, including during school holidays and special days. The court also needed to address provisions for communication between parents, dispute resolution, and the consequences of contravening the orders.

Kent J made orders that the Father would have sole parental responsibility for major long-term issues, subject to a requirement to notify, invite views from, consider, and advise the Mother in writing of his ultimate decisions. The Mother would be responsible for the children's daily care when they were with her, and the Father when they were with him. The orders detailed specific arrangements for the children to spend time with the Mother on alternate weekends and during school holidays, with provisions for changeovers and communication. The court also included orders regarding respectful communication between parents, the prohibition of physical discipline, and the administration of medication. Furthermore, the orders stipulated a process for resolving disputes, including mandatory family dispute resolution, and outlined the consequences of contravening the orders, referencing relevant sections of the *Family Law Act 1975* (Cth). The children were ordered to live with the Father.