VENSON & VENSON

In the Family Court of Australia, Justice Austin considered applications by both the husband and wife. The wife sought a permanent stay of the husband's substantive application to set aside a child support agreement, or alternatively, a temporary stay until he satisfied a previous costs order. The husband had also applied for a stay of the child support agreement pending the determination of his application to set it aside.

The court was required to determine whether to grant a stay of proceedings, either permanently or temporarily, and to consider applications relating to security for costs and extensions of time for serving costs accounts. The wife also sought to have certain interim applications dismissed.

Justice Austin dismissed the wife's applications for interim orders and the husband's application for a stay of the child support agreement. The court ordered the husband to pay $4,000 by way of security for costs within 21 days, failing which his initiating application would be stayed. Leave was granted for the parties to inspect documents produced by Harrisons Solicitors. The time for the wife to serve her itemised costs account was extended, and the husband's time to dispute it was also extended. The court reserved costs for 28 days and dismissed all outstanding interim applications.