Werber and Kingsley and Anor

This matter concerned parenting orders for a child, [X], born in 2011, between the mother, Werber, and the father, Kingsley. The dispute revolved around the arrangements for the child's living arrangements, time spent with each parent, and communication. The court was required to make orders that were in the best interests of the child, considering the child's age and developmental stages.

The court was tasked with determining the specific arrangements for equal shared parental responsibility, including the child's primary residence, and the detailed schedule for the child's time with the father. This involved setting out a progressive timetable for the father's time with the child, which was to evolve as the child grew older, from the age of three years until commencing school, and thereafter. The court also had to consider provisions for holidays, special occasions, and communication between the parents.

In its reasoning, the court applied the principles of the *Family Law Act 1975* (Cth), particularly concerning the best interests of the child and the concept of equal shared parental responsibility. The court meticulously detailed the father's time with the child, commencing with alternate weekends and specific weekdays, and progressively increasing the duration and frequency of contact as the child matured. This included provisions for school holidays, birthdays, and other significant events, with a clear framework for how these arrangements would operate and adapt. The court also made orders regarding communication, school enrolment, and injunctions to protect the child from parental conflict and denigration.

The court ordered that the mother and father have equal shared parental responsibility for the child. The child was to live with the mother, and specific, phased arrangements were set out for the child to spend time and communicate with the father, commencing from the child's third birthday and continuing through to the child commencing school and beyond. Further orders addressed communication protocols, school arrangements, and injunctions against denigration and harmful conduct.