Waterford and Waterford

The proceedings involved the father and mother, referred to as Waterford and Waterford, concerning arrangements for their children, C and M. The court, presided over by Justice Dawe, was considering further orders regarding the children's welfare and parental contact.

The central legal issues before the court were the appropriate interim arrangements for the children's time with their father, the conditions under which such time should occur, and measures to protect the children from parental conflict and inappropriate influences. This included determining the frequency and duration of the father's contact, the location of handovers, the return of children's possessions, and injunctive relief to prevent parental denigration and discussion of proceedings with the children. Further issues involved restrictions on third-party contact with the children and the requirement for parental participation in counselling and children's programs.

Justice Dawe, in making orders by consent and otherwise, suspended a prior order and established an alternate weekend contact schedule for the father, commencing on 4 February 2012. The court also imposed several conditions, including specific handover locations on non-school days and the return of children's belongings. Crucially, injunctions were granted restraining both parents from abusing or discussing the proceedings in the children's presence. Additional injunctions were made regarding the presence of the father's brother and the mother's child J with the subject children, and the father was ordered to ensure the children had separate beds. The court also mandated the parties' enrollment in specific contact services, family programs, and therapeutic interventions for the father, as well as the enrollment of child C in a children's program.