Sutton and Sutton

In the matter of Sutton and Sutton, Watts J considered parenting orders concerning a child born in 2005. The dispute involved the allocation of parental responsibility for major long-term issues, including the child's education, health, and cultural upbringing, as well as detailed arrangements for the child's living arrangements and communication between the parents.

The court was required to determine how parental responsibility for significant decisions regarding the child's education and health should be allocated, and how decisions concerning the child's Chinese culture should be made. Additionally, the court needed to establish a clear and practical schedule for the child's time with each parent during school terms, school holidays, and specific public holidays, while also addressing communication protocols and restrictions on international travel.

Watts J ordered that the father have sole parental responsibility for decisions regarding the child's education and health, subject to specific conditions requiring consultation and notification to the mother. The mother was granted sole parental responsibility for decisions concerning the child's Chinese culture, also with conditions for consultation and notification to the father. Shared parental responsibility was maintained for all other major long-term issues, with a requirement to engage a mediator if agreement could not be reached. The court also discharged previous orders for the appointment of an Independent Children's Lawyer and set out a detailed schedule for the child's living arrangements with each parent, including provisions for holidays and specific cultural and religious observances. The father was permitted to travel internationally with the child under certain notice conditions, while the mother was restrained from taking the child out of Australia without consent or a court order.