Simmonds and Bray

In the matter of Simmonds and Bray, Austin J of the Family Court of Australia considered parenting orders concerning two children, M and T. The dispute involved the allocation of parental responsibility and the living arrangements for the children.

The court was required to determine the most appropriate parenting orders for the children, taking into account their best interests. This included deciding on sole parental responsibility, where the children would live, and whether to impose any restrictions on the mother's contact with the children or their schools. The court also had to consider provisions for communication, information sharing, and the consequences of contravening the orders.

Austin J ordered that all former parenting orders be discharged. The father was granted sole parental responsibility for the children, and they were to live with him. The mother was restrained from approaching within 100 metres of the father's residence or any school attended by the children, pursuant to s 68B of the *Family Law Act 1975* (Cth). The father was directed to provide school reports and photograph order forms to the mother at her expense. Both parties were restrained from denigrating each other in the presence of the children and from permitting others to do so. Further orders addressed the use of parental titles by the children and required the father to notify the mother of medical emergencies, authorising communication with treating professionals. Both parties were ordered to keep each other informed of their contact details. The father was to deliver the children to a Family Consultant within seven days for an explanation of the orders. The court also noted that no orders were made for the children to spend time or communicate with the mother, with such decisions to be made by the father as an incident of his sole parental responsibility.