You are here:
AustLII >>
Databases >>
Federal Circuit Court of Australia >>
2013 >>
[2013] FCCA 805
[Database Search]
[Name Search]
[Recent Decisions]
[Noteup]
[Download]
[Context] [No Context] [Help]
Rance & Shorrock & Anor [2013] FCCA 805 (5 July 2013)
Last Updated: 26 August 2013
FEDERAL CIRCUIT COURT OF AUSTRALIA
Catchwords: FAMILY LAW – Parenting
– geographical challenges – siblings separated (one child living
with father, the other child
living with maternal grandmother) – request
for s.91B Department of Human Services intervention.
|
First Respondent:
|
MR SHORROCK
|
Second Respondent:
|
MS RANCE
|
File Number:
|
LEC 1 of 2013
|
Hearing date:
|
4 July 2013
|
Date of Last Submission:
|
4 July 2013
|
Delivered on:
|
5 July 2013
|
REPRESENTATION
Solicitors for the
Applicant:
|
Filewood Carty Lawyers
|
Solicitor for the First Respondent:
|
Claire Heaton Solicitor
|
The Second Respondent (self-represented)
|
|
ORDERS
THE COURT ORDERS PENDING FURTHER ORDER
THAT:
(1) The child X born (omitted) 2011 (X) live with the Father.
(2) In 8 weeks from the date of these Orders, the maternal Grandmother is to
bring the child Y born (omitted) 2009 (Y) to Sydney
and the Father is to bring
the child X to Sydney for two consecutive days as agreed or in the absence of
agreement Saturday and Sunday.
On the first day Y is to spend 2 hours with the
Father and X as agreed or from 1:00pm to 3:00pm and on the second day X is to
spend
2 hours with the maternal Grandmother and Mother and Y as agreed or from
1:00pm to 3:00pm.
(3) Thereafter in 8 weeks from the visit referred to in Order 2 above, the
maternal Grandmother is to bring the child Y to Sydney
and the Father is to
bring the child X to Sydney for two consecutive days as agreed or in the absence
of agreement Saturday and Sunday.
On the first day Y is to spend 4 hours with
the Father and X as agreed or from 11:00am to 3:00pm and on the second day X is
to spend
4 hours with the maternal Grandmother and Mother and Y as agreed or
from 11:00am to 3:00pm.
(4) Thereafter in 8 weeks from the visit referred to in Order 3 above, the
maternal Grandmother is to bring the child Y to Sydney
and the Father is to
bring the child X to Sydney for two consecutive days as agreed or in the absence
of agreement Saturday and Sunday.
On the first day Y is to spend 6 hours with
the Father and X as agreed or from 11:00am to 5:00pm and on the second day X is
to spend
6 hours with the maternal Grandmother and Mother as agreed or from
11:00am to 5:00pm.
(5) Thereafter in 8 weeks from the visit referred to in Order 4 above and
thereafter for 4 visits every 8 weeks, the maternal Grandmother
is to bring the
child Y to Sydney and the Father is to bring the child X to Sydney for three
consecutive days as agreed or in the
absence of agreement Saturday, Sunday and
Monday. On the first day Y is to spend time with the Father and X as agreed or
from 10:00am
Saturday until 10:00am Sunday and from 10:00am Sunday to 10:00am
Monday X is to spend time with the maternal Grandmother and Mother.
(6) Thereafter every 8 weeks the Father will spend time with Y from 10:00am
Saturday or such other day as mutually agreed to 10:00am
the following Saturday
and from the conclusion of that visit the maternal Grandmother is to spend time
with X from 10:00am that Saturday
to 10:00am the following Saturday. Changeover
of the children is to take place in Sydney with the maternal Grandmother
bringing the
child Y from (omitted) to Sydney for changeover and the Father
bringing X to Sydney from Canberra.
(7) Unless otherwise agreed the changeover will be at the home of the paternal
Grandfather, Mr R.
(8) The child Y lives with the maternal Grandmother.
(9) The Father and the maternal Grandmother have day to day responsibility for
the children in their care.
(10) The Father, Mother and maternal Grandmother have equal shared parental
responsibility for the children.
(11) Both parties be restrained from:
- (a) Speaking or
permitting any other person to speak to or about the other parent or their
family in a negative, offensive or unpleasant
fashion in the presence or hearing
of the children.
- (b) Discussing
any proceedings between the parents or the parental relationship in the presence
or hearing of the children or permitting
any other person to do so.
THE COURT FURTHER ORDERS THAT:
(12) The matter be set down for 3 day Final Hearing on 29 – 31
January 2014 at 10:00am.
(13) The parties are to file and serve any further material on which they seek
to rely no later than 20 December 2013.
(14) The Applicant is to comply with the payment of any setting down and/or
daily hearing fee in accordance with Rules 24.03 and
24.04 of the Federal
Circuit Court Rules 2001 or as otherwise directed by the Registry Manager by
the date of filing of further material.
(15) No later than three (3) working days prior to hearing each party forward to
my Associate a document setting out:
- (a) The
affidavits on which each party will rely at hearing; and
- (b) The Orders
sought at hearing.
(16) Leave be granted to the parties to relist the matter on 72 hours’
notice.
(17) The proceedings be adjourned to 20 August 2013 at 9:30am in
Sydney for mention via teleconference.
(18) Dial the teleconference Access Number (omitted).
(19) At the prompt, enter (omitted) followed by the hash (#) key.
(20) Pursuant to section 68L of the Family Law Act 1975 an Independent
Children’s Lawyer be appointed for the children X born (omitted) 2011 and
Y born (omitted) 2009 and the Legal
Aid Commission of NSW is requested to
provide such representation.
(21) The parties provide to the Legal Aid Commission of NSW, PO Box K847
HAYMARKET forthwith all documents thus far filed in these
proceedings by the
party together with all existing orders and copies of any relevant reports.
(22) Pursuant to s91B of the Family Law Act 1975 that the Department of
Community Services intervene in these proceedings. Upon request, the Court
provide to the Department of Community
Services copies of all documentation
relevant to the proceedings before the court to enable it to consider the
request to intervene
in the proceedings.
IT IS NOTED that publication of this judgment under the pseudonym
Rance & Shorrock is approved pursuant to s.121(9)(g) of the
Family Law Act 1975 (Cth).
FEDERAL CIRCUIT COURT OF AUSTRALIA AT SYDNEY
|
LEC 1 of 2013
Applicant
And
First Respondent
Second Respondent
ORAL REASONS FOR JUDGMENT
- This
case is about two children - Y, born (omitted) 2009 who is four years old and X,
born (omitted) 2011 who is two years old. The
applicant is the maternal
grandmother. She lives in (omitted) and is 49 years old. The respondent is the
children’s father.
He lives in Canberra and is 23 years old. The second
respondent is the mother. She lives in (omitted) and is 24 years old.
- Y
lives with the grandmother in (omitted). X lives with the father in Canberra,
and this has been the case for about a year. The
mother appears to live with
the grandmother in (omitted). At the outset I want to say that at an interim
level, it is quite irrelevant
how the present situation has arisen. The fact is
that X has not seen his mother, grandmother, or brother for about a year. There
is nothing the Court can do to change that. At a final hearing, the
circumstances that led to this most unsatisfactory situation
will no doubt be
explored in much more detail.
- I
am sure submissions will be made about how this reflects on the attitudes,
responsibilities and the parenting capacities of the
parents. But for today, in
the context of an interim application it is quite irrelevant. The fact is, as I
said, that X has not
seen significant members of his family for an extended
period of time. One of the practical issues in this case is that the parties
are dependent on Centrelink benefits, although the grandmother’s income is
supplemented by some part-time work.
- Another
reality is the distance that separates (omitted) from Canberra, and the
logistical challenges in travelling between these
areas for a socially
disadvantaged family. Based on all of the evidence that is available before the
Court today, which includes
the affidavits filed by the parties as well as the
documents produced on subpoena by the Department of Community Services and the
New South Wales Police, it is possible to make some observations that are akin
to uncontested facts, or certainly facts that are
hard to contest given the
evidence before the Court.
- It
seems, for example, that Y has always been cared for by his grandmother though
with different and varying levels of assistance
from both the mother and the
father in the past. It seems that X was also cared for by his grandmother after
his birth for a period
of months. It seems from the evidence that the
grandmother has consistently had concerns about the capacity that both the
mother
and the father to adequately parent the children. It seems from the
evidence that the parental relationship has been a volatile
one, as indeed has
been the relationship between the grandmother and her daughter, that is to say
the mother.
- It
seems from the evidence that the mother has had past drug issues, but the
ongoing nature of that is an unknown. It seems that
the father suffers from a
number of disabilities and is currently in a relationship and he and his partner
are both expecting a child.
It seems from the evidence that the family
identifies as being of indigenous background. It seems that the mother’s
participation
in these proceedings has been limited in the sense that she has
appeared before me in Coffs Harbour, indicated that she would be
getting legal
advice and representation and is present this morning by telephone as I
pronounce these reasons.
- It
seems that based on what the mother previously told me that she supports the
grandmother’s proposal for the children to live
with her. And it seems
from the Department of Community Services file that the parents and the children
were involved with Brighter
Futures in the past, especially at the time of
X’s birth. As I say, all of the matters I have recited above seem to be
relatively
uncontentious, are drawn from the affidavits and the documents that
have been presented on subpoena.
- At
the interim hearing yesterday, the grandmother’s proposal was contained in
the outline of case document prepared by her solicitor,
and I will simply
incorporate the orders into these my oral reasons. In effect, she proposed that
the children be reunited and live
with her, that the children spend time with
the mother as agreed between the mother and the grandmother, and the children
spend time
with the father as agreed between the grandmother and the father.
The mother’s proposal seems to have supported what the grandmother
was
advancing.
- The
father’s proposal is contained in his response filed 3 July 2013, which I
incorporate into these, my oral reasons. For
all practical purposes, he is
proposing that on an interim basis the existing situation be maintained with X
remaining in his care
and Y remaining in the grandmother’s care. But he
makes a proposal for there to be contact between the children and the parents.
- The
applicable law is of course contained in Part VII of the Family Law Act.
The objects and principles of Part VII are set out at s. 60B:
- 60B
Objects of Part and principles underlying it
- (1) The
objects of this Part are to ensure that the best interests of children are met
by:
- (a) ensuring
that children have the benefit of both of their parents having a meaningful
involvement in their lives, to the maximum
extent consistent with the best
interests of the child; and
- (b) protecting
children from physical or psychological harm from being subjected to, or exposed
to, abuse, neglect or family violence;
and
- (c) ensuring
that children receive adequate and proper parenting to help them achieve their
full potential; and
- (d) ensuring
that parents fulfil their duties, and meet their responsibilities, concerning
the care, welfare and development of
their children.
- (2) The
principles underlying these objects are that (except when it is or would be
contrary to a child’s best interests):
- (a) children
have the right to know and be cared for by both their parents, regardless of
whether their parents are married, separated,
have never married or have never
lived together; and
- (b) children
have a right to spend time on a regular basis with, and communicate on a regular
basis with, both their parents and
other people significant to their care,
welfare and development (such as grandparents and other relatives); and
- (c) parents
jointly share duties and responsibilities concerning the care, welfare and
development of their children; and
- (d) parents
should agree about the future parenting of their children; and
- (e) children
have a right to enjoy their culture (including the right to enjoy that culture
with other people who share that culture).
- (3) For
the purposes of subparagraph (2)(e), an Aboriginal child’s or Torres
Strait Islander child’s right to enjoy
his or her Aboriginal or Torres
Strait Islander culture includes the right:
- (a) to
maintain a connection with that culture; and
- (b) to
have the support, opportunity and encouragement necessary:
- (i) to
explore the full extent of that culture, consistent with the child’s age
and developmental level and the child’s
views; and
- (ii) to
develop a positive appreciation of that culture.
- At
the very core of the new Part VII of the Family Law Act 1975 is the
creation of a presumption of equal shared parental responsibility in s.61DA.
Section 61DA provides:
- 61DA
Presumption of equal shared parental responsibility when making parenting
orders
- (1) When
making a parenting order in relation to a child, the court must apply a
presumption that it is in the best interests of
the child for the child’s
parents to have equal shared parental responsibility for the child.
- (2) The
presumption does not apply if there are reasonable grounds to believe that a
parent of the child (or a person who lives
with a parent of the child) has
engaged in:
- (a) abuse
of the child or another child who, at the time, was a member of the
parent’s family (or that other person’s
family); or
- (b) family
violence.
- (3) When
the court is making an interim order, the presumption applies unless the court
considers that it would not be appropriate
in the circumstances for the
presumption to be applied when making that order.
- (4) The
presumption may be rebutted by evidence that satisfies the court that it would
not be in the best interests of the child
for the child’s parents to have
equal shared parental responsibility for the child.
- If
the presumption applies, I am required to consider certain
things:
- 65DAA Court
to consider child spending equal time or substantial and significant time with
each parent in certain circumstances
- Equal
time
- (1) If a
parenting order provides (or is to provide) that a child’s parents are to
have equal shared parental responsibility
for the child, the court
must:
- (a) consider
whether the child spending equal time with each of the parents would be in the
best interests of the child; and
- (b) consider
whether the child spending equal time with each of the parents is reasonably
practicable; and
- (c) if it
is, consider making an order to provide (or including a provision in the order)
for the child to spend equal time with
each of the parents.
- Substantial
and significant time
- (2) If:
- (a) a
parenting order provides (or is to provide) that a child’s parents are to
have equal shared parental responsibility
for the child; and
- (b) the
court does not make an order (or include a provision in the order) for the child
to spend equal time with each of the parents;
and
- the court
must:
- (c) consider
whether the child spending substantial and significant time with each of the
parents would be in the best interests
of the child; and
- (d) consider
whether the child spending substantial and significant time with each of the
parents is reasonably practicable; and
- (e) if it
is, consider making an order to provide (or including a provision in the order)
for the child to spend substantial and
significant time with each of the
parents.
- (3) will be
taken to spend substantial and significant time with a parent only
if:
- (a) the
time the child spends with the parent includes both:
- (i) days
that fall on weekends and holidays; and
- (ii) days
that do not fall on weekends or holidays; and
- (b) the
time the child spends with the parent allows the parent to be involved
in:
- (i) the
child’s daily routine; and
- (ii) occasions
and events that are of particular significance to the child; and
- (c) the
time the child spends with the parent allows the child to be involved in
occasions and events that are of special significance
to the parent.
- (4) Subsection (3)
does not limit the other matters to which a court can have regard in determining
whether the time a child spends
with a parent would be substantial and
significant.
- Reasonable
practicality
- (5) In
determining for the purposes of subsections (1) and (2) whether it is
reasonably practicable for a child to spend equal time,
or substantial and
significant time, with each of the child’s parents, the court must have
regard to:
- (a) how
far apart the parents live from each other; and
- (b) the
parents’ current and future capacity to implement an arrangement for the
child spending equal time, or substantial
and significant time, with each of the
parents; and
- (c) the
parents’ current and future capacity to communicate with each other and
resolve difficulties that might arise in implementing
an arrangement of that
kind; and
- (d) the
impact that an arrangement of that kind would have on the child; and
- (e) such
other matters as the court considers relevant.
- Because
s.65DAA refers to the best interests of the child I must then go back to
consider s.60CC which specifies how I must determine what is in a child’s
best interests.
- 60CC
How a court determines what is in a child’s best interests
- Determining
child’s best interests
- (1) Subject
to subsection (5), in determining what is in the child’s best
interests, the court must consider the matters set
out in subsections (2)
and (3).
- Primary
considerations
- (2) The
primary considerations are:
- (a) the
benefit to the child of having a meaningful relationship with both of the
child’s parents; and
- (b) the
need to protect the child from physical or psychological harm from being
subjected to, or exposed to, abuse, neglect or
family violence.
- Note: Making
these considerations the primary ones is consistent with the objects of this
Part set out in paragraphs 60B(1)(a) and
(b).
- Additional
considerations
- (3) Additional
considerations are:
- (a) any
views expressed by the child and any factors (such as the child’s maturity
or level of understanding) that the court
thinks are relevant to the weight it
should give to the child’s views;
- (b) the
nature of the relationship of the child with:
- (i) each
of the child’s parents; and
- (ii) other
persons (including any grandparent or other relative of the child);
- (c) the
willingness and ability of each of the child’s parents to facilitate, and
encourage, a close and continuing relationship
between the child and the other
parent;
- (d) the
likely effect of any changes in the child’s circumstances, including the
likely effect on the child of any separation
from:
- (i) either
of his or her parents; or
- (ii) any
other child, or other person (including any grandparent or other relative of the
child), with whom he or she has been living;
- (e) the
practical difficulty and expense of a child spending time with and communicating
with a parent and whether that difficulty
or expense will substantially affect
the child’s right to maintain personal relations and direct contact with
both parents
on a regular basis;
- (f) the
capacity of:
- (i) each
of the child’s parents; and
- (ii) any
other person (including any grandparent or other relative of the
child);
- to
provide for the needs of the child, including emotional and intellectual
needs;
- (g) the
maturity, sex, lifestyle and background (including lifestyle, culture and
traditions) of the child and of either of the
child’s parents, and any
other characteristics of the child that the court thinks are relevant;
- (h) if the
child is an Aboriginal child or a Torres Strait Islander child:
- (i) the
child’s right to enjoy his or her Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander
culture (including the right to enjoy that
culture with other people who share
that culture); and
- (ii) the
likely impact any proposed parenting order under this Part will have on that
right;
- (i) the
attitude to the child, and to the responsibilities of parenthood, demonstrated
by each of the child’s parents;
- (j) any
family violence involving the child or a member of the child’s
family;
- (k) any
family violence order that applies to the child or a member of the child’s
family, if:
- (i) the
order is a final order; or
- (ii) the
making of the order was contested by a person;
- (l) whether
it would be preferable to make the order that would be least likely to lead to
the institution of further proceedings
in relation to the child;
- (m) any
other fact or circumstance that the court thinks is relevant.
- In
MRR v GR [2010] HCA 4 the High Court said
- 8. Sub-section
(1) of s 65DAA is headed "Equal time" and provides:
- "If a
parenting order provides (or is to provide) that a child's parents are to have
equal shared parental responsibility for the
child, the court must:
- (a) consider
whether the child spending equal time with each of the parents would be in the
best interests of the child; and
- (b) consider
whether the child spending equal time with each of the parents is reasonably
practicable; and
- (c) if it
is, consider making an order to provide (or including a provision in the order)
for the child to spend equal time with
each of the parents." (emphasis
added)
- Sub-section
(2) makes provision for where a parenting order provides that a child's parents
are to have equal shared parental responsibility
for the child (par (a)) but the
Court does not make an order for the child to spend equal time with each of the
parents (par (b)).
In such a circumstance the Court is obliged to:
- "(c) consider
whether the child spending substantial and significant time with each of the
parents would be in the best interests
of the child; and
- (d) consider
whether the child spending substantial and significant time with each of the
parents is reasonably practicable; and
- (e) if it
is, consider making an order to provide (or including a provision in the order)
for the child to spend substantial and
significant time with each of the
parents."
- Sub-section
(3) explains what is meant by the phrase "substantial and significant
time".
- 9. Each of
sub-ss (1)(b) and (2)(d) of s 65DAA require the Court to consider whether it is
reasonably practicable for the child to spend equal time or substantial and
significant
time with each of the parents. It is clearly intended that the
Court determine that question. Sub-section (5) provides in that
respect that
the Court "must have regard" to certain matters, such as how far apart the
parents live from each other and their capacity
to implement the arrangement in
question, and "such other matters as the court considers relevant", "[i]n
determining for the purposes
of subsections (1) and (2) whether it is reasonably
practicable for a child to spend equal time, or substantial and significant
time,
with each of the child's parents".
- A
little later in the judgment the High Court said:
- 13. Section
65DAA(1) is expressed in imperative terms. It obliges the Court to consider
both the question whether it is in the best interests of the
child to spend
equal time with each of the parents (par (a)) and the question whether it is
reasonably practicable that the child
spend equal time with each of them
(par (b)). It is only where both questions are answered in the affirmative
that consideration
may be given, under par (c), to the making of an
order.
- The
Full Court’s decision in Goode & Goode [2006] FamCA 1346
provides some guidance about the interpretation of that section and the way to
proceed and I will incorporate into these reasons
a number of paragraphs from
the Full Court’s judgment.
- 68. In our
view some of the comments of the Full Court in paragraph 18 are still apposite.
For example, the procedure for making
interim parenting orders will continue to
be an abridged process where the scope of the enquiry is “significantly
curtailed”.
Where the Court cannot make findings of fact it should not be
drawn into issues of fact or matters relating to the merits of the
substantive
case where findings are not possible. The Court also looks to the less
contentious matters, such as the agreed facts
and issues not in dispute and
would have regard to the care arrangements prior to separation, the current
circumstances of the parties
and their children, and the parties’
respective proposals for the future.
- ...
- 72. In our
view, it can be fairly said there is a legislative intent evinced in favour of
substantial involvement of both parents
in their children’s lives, both as
to parental responsibility and as to time spent with children, subject to the
need to protect
children from harm, from abuse and family violence and provided
it is in their best interests and reasonably practicable. This means
where there
is a status quo or well settled environment, instead of simply preserving it,
unless there are protective or other significant
best interests concerns for the
child, the Court must follow the structure of the Act and consider accepting,
where applicable, equal
or significant involvement by both parents in the care
arrangements for the child.
- ...
- 82. In an
interim case that would involve the following:
- (a)
identifying the competing proposals of the parties;
- (b)
identifying the issues in dispute in the interim hearing;
- (c)
identifying any agreed or uncontested relevant facts;
- (d)
considering the matters in s 60CC that are relevant and, if possible, making
findings about them (in interim proceedings there may be little uncontested
evidence to
enable more than a limited consideration of these matters to take
place);
- (e)
deciding whether the presumption in s 61DA that equal shared parental
responsibility is in the best interests of the child applies or does not apply
because there are reasonable
grounds to believe there has been abuse of the
child or family violence or, in an interim matter, the Court does not consider
it
appropriate to apply the presumption;
- (f) if the
presumption does apply, deciding whether it is rebutted because application of
it would not be in the child’s best
interests;
- (g) if the
presumption applies and is not rebutted, considering making an order that the
child spend equal time with the parents
unless it is contrary to the
child’s best interests as a result of consideration of one or more of the
matters in s 60CC, or impracticable;
- (h) if
equal time is found not to be in the child’s best interests, considering
making an order that the child spend substantial
and significant time as defined
in s 65DAA(3) with the parents, unless contrary to the child’s best
interests as a result of consideration of one or more of the matters
in s 60CC,
or impracticable;
- (i) if
neither equal time nor substantial and significant time is considered to be in
the best interests of the child, then making
such orders in the discretion of
the Court that are in the best interests of the child, as a result of
consideration of one or more
of the matters in s 60CC;
- (j) if the
presumption is not applied or is rebutted, then making such order as is in the
best interests of the child, as a result
of consideration of one or more of the
matters in s 60CC; and
- (k) even
then the Court may need to consider equal time or substantial and significant
time, especially if one of the parties has
sought it or, even if neither has
sought it, if the Court considers after affording procedural fairness to the
parties it to be in
the best interests of the child.
- Let
me discuss some of the evidence and how the law applies to it. As I have said
before, there is no point lamenting the very unsatisfactory
state of affairs
that exists as a result of what has happened in the past. And there is no point
lamenting the complexity of the
problem that confronts the parents and indeed
the Court.
- The
fact is that X has not seen his mother, grandmother, or brother for about a
year. In all likelihood if he has a memory of who
these people are, it is a
distant one. In all likelihood and simply drawing on my experience in this
jurisdiction, the main adult
person in X’s life is his father.
- The
question for the Court is whether that relationship should be disrupted now
suddenly and, in the practical circumstances of this
case, for an extended
period, in order to reunite X with his mother, grandmother and brother. Whilst
this might be the outcome on
a final basis, it cannot be the outcome on an
interim basis.
- This
case is really about the least of the worst options in an entirely
unsatisfactory situation that has been created. The Court
assesses that
maintaining the status quo – that is to say, keep the children where they
are for now – is the least of
the worst options. The Court will appoint
an Independent Children’s Lawyer on an urgent basis. The Court will issue
an order
under section 91B of the Act inviting the Department to become involved
in the case. Not just because there are concerns about both the mother and
the
father, and to a lesser extent the grandmother, but with a view to seeing if the
Department can bring some resources to this
case that will facilitate the
contact and communication between young children and parents in the considerable
geographical challenges
thrown up by this case.
- There
are too many unknowns in this case to make the drastic changes that the
grandmother and the mother proposes. For example, we
do not know what the
impact on X would be of suddenly being taken away from the only – or the
main adult figure he has known
for half of his short life. Especially in
circumstances where the capacity of the parties to make any form of contact and
communication
work is so tenuous.
- Moreover,
we do not know the precise circumstances of the grandmother’s household.
The documents produced by the Department
of Human Services and New South Wales
Police do suggest a level of volatility as between the grandmother and mother
that is plainly
not acknowledged or communicated in the grandmother’s
evidence before the Court. So how, in these circumstances, would that
household
cope with another young child who would be struggling with an enormous emotional
adjustment.
- One
gets the distinct feeling after having looked at the New South Wales Police and
Department of Human Services files that the grandmother
has minimised the
potential issues that she has with her own daughter, and glossed over some of
the challenges she faces if I were
to make the orders that she asks me to make.
- The
problems inherent in the grandmother’s proposal are further accentuated by
the very unspecific proposal she makes for contact
which recognises the very
difficult dynamics that exist in this family. By contrast, the father’s
contact proposal is at least
an attempt to come to grips with the enormous
logistical, let alone psychological, issues for the children that would be
associated
with having contact. It is the least of the worst alternatives.
This is a case where there are no good options available at the
moment.
- The
role of the Independent Children’s Lawyer will be to try to increase the
available options for the parents and the children,
perhaps drawing on resources
through the Department of Human Services and existing family resources in Sydney
and elsewhere. I acknowledge
the reality that the interim orders that I am
about to make will need to be reviewed from time to time. I intend to allocate
some
hearing dates once I get an estimate from the lawyers about how much time I
need to set aside.
I certify that the preceding twenty-five (25)
paragraphs are a true copy of the reasons for judgment of Judge Altobelli
Date: 1 August 2013
AustLII:
Copyright Policy
|
Disclaimers
|
Privacy Policy
|
Feedback
URL: http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/cases/cth/FCCA/2013/805.html