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Hamish & Brighton [2014] FamCAFC 242; (17 December 2014)
Last Updated: 19 December 2014
FAMILY COURT OF AUSTRALIA
FAMILY LAW – APPEAL
– AMENDED NOTICE OF APPEAL – CHILDREN – RELOCATION –
Where the primary challenge
is to the spend time with orders and an order
restraining the appellant from changing the place of residence of the children
–
Where the appeal is opposed – Where the trial judge failed to
address s 65DAA of the Family Law Act 1975 (Cth) – Where it is not
possible to infer from the trial judge’s findings that his Honour
undertook the exercise required
by s 65DAA(2) of the Family Law Act 1975
(Cth) – Where the trial judge made findings as to the best interests of
the children but in the context of s 60CC and not in the context of s
65DAA(2)(c) of the Family Law Act 1975 (Cth) – Where the trial
judge did not weigh up the relative proposals of each of the parties –
Where there was no consideration
by the trial judge under s 65DAA(2)(d) of the
reasonable practicability of the proposals of the parties – Where given
what the High Court said in MRR v GRR (2010) 240 CLR 461 it is doubtful
whether the trial judge had the power to make the orders that he did –
Where there is merit in the first four
grounds of appeal – Appeal allowed
– Parenting proceedings remitted to the Family Court of Western Australia
for rehearing
by a judge other than the trial judge. FAMILY LAW –
APPEAL – AMENDED NOTICE OF APPEAL – COSTS – Where the parties
agree that each party should bear
their own costs and that costs certificates
should issue for the appeal and for the rehearing – no order for costs
–
costs certificates to issue.
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Family Law
Act 1975 (Cth) – ss 60CC, 65DAA(2), (3), (4), (5) and Part
VII
Federal Proceedings (Costs) Act 1981 (Cth) – ss 6, 8 and
9
Collu & Rinaldo [2010] FamCAFC 53
MRR v GR
(2010) 240 CLR 461
Nada & Nettle [2014] FamCAFC
123
Orpheus & Orpheus [2014] FamCAFC 70
SCVG & KLD
(2014) FLC 93-582
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Bryant CJ, May & Strickland JJ
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LOWER COURT JURISDICTION:
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Family Court of Western Australia
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LOWER COURT JUDGMENT DATE:
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DATE OF LOWER COURT ORDERS:
LOWER COURT MNC:
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REPRESENTATION
COUNSEL FOR THE
RESPONDENT:
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SOLICITOR FOR THE RESPONDENT:
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ORDERS
(1) The appeal be allowed.
(2) Paragraphs 4, 5, 6, 7 and 16 of order 1 and order 2 made by Moncrieff J
on
24 January 2014 be set aside, with this order to take effect upon the
commencement of the rehearing of the proceedings.
(3) The parenting proceedings be remitted to the Family Court of Western
Australia for rehearing by a judge other than Moncrieff
J.
(4) There be no order as to costs.
(5) The Court grants to the appellant mother a costs certificate pursuant to the
provisions of s 9 of the Federal Proceedings (Costs) Act 1981 (Cth),
being a certificate that in the opinion of the Court it would be appropriate for
the Attorney-General to authorise a payment
under the Act to the appellant
mother in respect of the costs incurred by the appellant mother in relation to
the appeal.
(6) The Court grants to the respondent father a costs certificate pursuant to
the provisions of s 6 of the Federal Proceedings (Costs) Act 1981 (Cth),
being a certificate that in the opinion of the Court it would be appropriate for
the Attorney-General to authorise a payment
under the Act to the respondent
father in respect of the costs incurred by the respondent father in relation to
the appeal.
(7) The Court grants to each of the parties a costs certificate pursuant to the
provisions of s 8 of the Federal Proceedings (Costs) Act 1981 (Cth),
being a certificate that in the opinion of the Court it would be appropriate for
the Attorney-General to authorise payment
under the Act to each of the parties
in respect of the costs incurred by each of them in relation to the rehearing.
IT IS NOTED that publication of this judgment by this Court under
the pseudonym Hamish & Brighton has been approved by the Chief
Justice pursuant to s 121(9)(g) of the Family Law Act 1975 (Cth).
THE FULL COURT OF THE FAMILY COURT OF AUSTRALIA AT PERTH
|
Appeal Number: WA 8 of
2014
File Number: PTW 1646 of 2013
Appellant
And
Respondent
REASONS FOR JUDGMENT
INTRODUCTION
- By
Amended Notice of Appeal filed on 8 September 2014, Ms Hamish (“the
mother”) appeals certain parenting orders made
by Moncrieff J on 24
January 2014, and an order restraining the mother from changing the place of
residence of the two children of
the relationship, A born in April 2005, and B
born in September 2011 (“the children”), from Perth to Town X, South
Australia.
- The
appeal is opposed by Mr Brighton (“the father”).
- In
summary, the parenting orders made by his Honour provided for the parties to
have equal shared responsibility for making decisions
about major long-term
issues in relation to the children and for the children to live with the mother,
together with detailed orders
for the children to spend time with the father.
There was also the injunction referred to above.
- The
challenge on appeal is primarily to the spend time with orders, and to the
injunction. The mother seeks that those orders be
set aside and the matter be
remitted to the Family Court of Western Australia for rehearing by a judge other
than Moncrieff J.
BACKGROUND
- The
father was aged 39 years at the time of trial. He holds an undergraduate degree
and is employed by a resources company.
- The
mother was aged 45 years at the time of trial. She is a health professional,
however she was not employed at the time of trial.
- The
parties met in late 1998, commenced cohabitation in January 2003, and were
married in January 2009.
- The
parties lived in Western Australia for the majority of the marriage, save for
where the father’s working commitments required
the family to move
overseas for a period of two years.
- The
parties separated in mid to late 2012. After separation, the children lived
with the mother and spent time with the father.
- The
parties agreed that they would have equal shared parental responsibility for the
children, and that the children would live with
the mother. The issues that
then fell for determination by the trial judge were whether the mother would be
permitted to relocate
the children to South Australia, and what orders would
then be put in place for the children to spend time with the father, or whether,
as the father sought, the mother be restrained from relocating with the
children.
- Given
the close proximity of the end of the school holidays to the hearing, his Honour
made the orders on 24 January 2014, and then
delivered his reasons on
4 March
2014.
- The
parties were able to resolve the property and spousal maintenance issues by
consent following the determination of the parenting
dispute. The property
orders saw the mother retain the property in which she resided, subject to a
mortgage, a cash payment to the
mother, and spousal maintenance to the mother
until the child B turned four years of age.
THE REASONS FOR JUDGMENT DELIVERED ON 4 MARCH 2014
- His
Honour commenced his reasons for judgment by recording the relevant background
of the parties, the orders sought by each party,
and the orders made on 24
January 2014.
- Turning
to issues of credit, the trial judge found that both parties were credible
witnesses, and there was “no reason to doubt
the veracity of [their]
evidence” (at [18]).
- After
setting out a detailed chronology (at [19]-[37]), his Honour recorded the
proposed arrangements for the children including the
mother’s reasons for
wishing to relocate the children. These were described by his Honour as
“child focused”.
The mother said that she could provide a higher
“quality of life” for the children in South Australia than she could
in Perth, due to the proximity of the mother’s family members in South
Australia, who could provide emotional and practical
support (at [38], [40]).
The mother claimed that her own morale and emotional wellbeing would be
“enhanced” if relocation
was permitted, and that would benefit the
children; she felt “lonely and isolated” in Perth (at [39]).
- The
mother said that house prices in Perth were high, and that she may not be able
to own her own home there. Conversely, owning
a property in South Australia was
“achievable” combined with lower cost of living expenses (at [41]).
The mother also
indicated that the South Australian government offered a health
professional re-training program that would provide her with a good
chance of
obtaining employment.
- His
Honour accepted that the mother’s reasons for wishing to relocate were
bona fide, noting that she did not need to show “compelling
reasons”
for relocating (at [43]).
- The
father opposed the relocation, and proposed that the children spend time with
him, with such time to increase as they matured.
In opposing the relocation
proposal, the father submitted that it was not practicable should the mother
re-partner in South Australia,
as her vacating her house and his use of her car
would no longer be tenable, which may result in further litigation.
- The
father also rejected the mother’s assertion that he could easily find work
in South Australia, given that his employer did
not offer transfer opportunities
there, and the only resources company in Town X offered opportunities which he
was not qualified
to meet.
- Finally,
the father submitted that the opportunities for the children would be limited in
South Australia compared to the activities
they undertook in Perth such as drama
classes, and surf lifesaving.
- His
Honour recorded that the child B suffered from several health conditions, which
was managed by her seeing orthopaedic specialists
and physiotherapists.
- The
trial judge then traversed the evidence relied upon by the parties (at
[50]-[66]). Ultimately his Honour found that both parties
had a loving and
supportive family network.
- Dr
H was appointed as the single expert witness, and he provided a report to the
court. His Honour said this about Dr H’s evidence
(at
[71]):
In describing the mother, Dr [H] further stated that “to some degree she
has an unrealistic view of the impact her relocation
would have upon [the
father’s] relationship with the children.” After hearing the
mother’s submissions, I agree
with Dr [H]. The fractured time table
proposed by the mother would undoubtedly hinder the children’s
relationship with the
father, who is indisputably a devoted
parent.
- Turning
to the law, the trial judge cited the remarks of Kirby J in U v U [2002] HCA 36; (2002)
211 CLR 238 at [159], referred to the High Court decision of AMS v AIF
(1999) 199 CLR 160 at [44], and subsequently the Full Court decision of Sayer
v Radcliffe [2012] FamCAFC 209; (2013) 48 Fam LR 298. His Honour then said this (at
[74]):
I am charged with determining not only what will be in the children’s best
interest in the long term but also what is in the
immediate best interests of
the younger child, [B], given her young age, diagnosis and the potential effect
that relocation will
have on her ability to develop a meaningful relationship
with an ardent father. As mentioned above, I must also consider the
mother’s
“right” to move and the effect that restraining the
mother may have on her wellbeing and consequently, the
children.
- His
Honour set out sections from Part VII of the Family Law Act 1975 (Cth)
(“the Act”), namely s 60B (incorrectly cited by his Honour as s 66B)
(the objects of the legislation and the principles underlying them) and s 60CC
(the primary and additional considerations in determining the best interests of
the children).
- His
Honour considered that both parties were “excellent parents”, and
both had “wonderful extended families”,
and the issue was to either
maintain the status quo and restrict the mother’s freedom of movement, or
allow the relocation
which would “unequivocally effect [sic] the singular
relationships the father enjoys with [the children]” (at [81]).
- His
Honour then addressed seriatim the primary and the relevant additional
considerations in s 60CC of the Act and concluded that “the interests of
the children are better served by their remaining residing within the Perth
metropolitan area” (at [121]).
GROUNDS OF APPEAL
- In
her Amended Notice of Appeal filed on 8 September 2014 the mother agitates the
following grounds of appeal:
- The
learned Trial Judge erred by treating the mother’s application for
relocation as the primary issue for determination and
by failing to make
parenting orders based on an evaluation of each party’s proposal and in
accordance with the prescribed legislative
pathway applicable to parenting
cases, including relocation cases.
- His
Honour erred in considering the children’s “best interests” in
the context of s 60CC of the Family Law Act 1975 but not in the context of s
65DAA.
- His
Honour erred in not considering whether an order would be “reasonably
practicable” in the context of s 65DAA, and failing to adequately consider
the practical, economic and emotional health aspects associated with the mother
residing in Perth.
- His
Honour erred in failing to make concluded findings to answer the mandatory
questions in s 65DAA(2)(c) and (d).
- His
Honour erred in failing to adequately consider, where the mother is the
undisputed primary caregiver, alternatives that might
enable the maintenance of
a meaningful relationship between the father and the children if they resided in
[South Australia], even
if that relationship was less than
“optimal”.
- His
Honour erred in the exercise of his discretion in relation to
s 60CC(3)
considerations by:
- finding
that it would be difficult for the father to establish a meaningful relationship
with the younger child [B] when the evidence
showed that a meaningful
relationship already existed;
- attaching
overriding significance to the benefit to the children of a meaningful
relationship with both parents, at the expense of
other important
considerations.
- failing
to consider adequately the possible or likely effects on the mother’s
parenting capacity if she were required to remain
in Perth, where the mother was
already undergoing therapy for situational anxiety and
depression;
- failing
to consider adequately the estrangement between the mother and the paternal
grandmother and its implications in respect
of:
(1) the credibility, feasibility or even desirability of the paternal
grandmother’s newly introduced offer to provide child-minding
assistance
to the mother as well as to the father;
(2) the emotional and psychological wellbeing of the
children
- finding
that the child [B’s] bonds with the paternal grandmother and other
paternal relatives would “undoubtedly deteriorate
or fail to be
formed” – a finding which was contradicted by his subsequent finding
in relation to the child’s relationship
with the maternal
grandparents;
- finding
that he preferred the evidence of the paternal grandmother over that of the
mother in relation to child-minding support provided
by the paternal grandmother
for the child [B], when the paternal grandmother had offered no evidence to
contradict that of the mother
on this issue.
- finding
that that [sic] “the mother does not appear to have fully considered the
impact on the children of her proposed move”,
a finding
which:
(1) is not supported by the totality of evidence provided by the mother;
(2) implies that the mother was required to provide “compelling
reasons”.
- failing
to consider adequately the legitimate interests and desires of the mother, as
unchallenged primary caregiver.
- His
Honour denied the mother, a self-represented litigant, procedural fairness by
severely restricting her ability to effectively
cross-examine members of the
paternal family on the issues of negativity and hostility towards herself, and
the withdrawal of practical
support by the paternal grandmother.
- His
Honour failed to give adequate reasons, in that he did not consider, weigh and
assess the evidence touching upon each of the relevant
matters, make findings on
all those matters, and then indicate to which of those matters he attached
greater significance, and how
all the relevant matters balanced out.
- His
Honour’s decision not to consider the evidence from [Ms P Hamish] was
unreasonable.
DISCUSSION
Grounds 1, 2, 3 and 4
- These
grounds essentially complain that his Honour failed to address s 65DAA of the
Act.
- That
Section relevantly provides as follows:
65DAA COURT TO CONSIDER CHILD SPENDING EQUAL TIME OR SUBSTANTIAL AND
SIGNIFICANT TIME WITH EACH PARENT IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES
...
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;
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) For the purposes of subsection (2), a child 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.
- Here
the pre-conditions to the application of sub-s (2) were plainly satisfied. As
his Honour records at [79], it had been agreed
between the parties that they
were to have equal shared parental responsibility. Further, there was no
question of there being an
order for the children to spend equal time with the
parents. Thus, the trial judge was obliged to apply s 65DAA(2).
- The
importance of engaging with s 65DAA(2) is that in not doing so there is no power
in the court to make a parenting order. The High Court said this in MRR v
GR (2010) 240 CLR 461 at [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 (para (a)) and the question whether it
is reasonably practicable that the child
spend equal time with each of them
(para (b)). It is only where both questions are answered in the affirmative
that consideration
may be given, under para (c), to the making of an order. The
words with which para (c) commences (if it is) refer back to the two
preceding
questions and make plain that the making of an order can only be considered if
the findings mentioned are made. A determination
as a question of fact that it
is reasonably practicable that equal time be spent with each parent is a
statutory condition which
must be fulfilled before the Court has power to make a
parenting order of that kind. It is a matter upon which power is conditioned
much as it is where a jurisdictional fact must be proved to exist. If such a
finding cannot be made, sub-ss (2)(a) and (b) require
that the prospect of the
child spending substantial and significant time with each parent then be
considered. That sub-section follows
the same structure as sub-s (1) and
requires the same questions concerning the child’s best interests and
reasonable practicability
to be answered in the context of the child spending
substantial and significant time with each parent.
(Footnotes omitted)
- As
can be seen that paragraph primarily addresses s 65DAA(1), but then
appropriately applies the same principle to s 65DAA(2).
- Nowhere
in his Honour’s reasons is s 65DAA(2) mentioned, despite it being the
subject of written submissions by both parties, but more significantly, it is
not possible to even
infer from his Honour’s findings that despite this
omission, his Honour undertook the exercise required by s 65DAA(2).
- Certainly,
his Honour did consider and make findings as to the best interests of the
children, but he did so in the context of s 60CC of the Act, and it cannot be
said that he did so under s 65DAA(2)(c). It is of course not strictly necessary
to address the best interests of the children under s 60CC, and then repeat the
exercise when applying s 65DAA; indeed, often what is done is when applying the
latter section there is a reference back to what is said under s 60CC (see
Collu & Rinaldo [2010] FamCAFC 53 at [374]). However, not even that
methodology was adopted by his Honour here.
- Further,
there is no consideration by his Honour under any rubric, let alone
s
65DAA(2)(d), of the reasonable practicability of the proposals of the parties.
We will return to this omission shortly.
- To
take up the point earlier made, where a trial judge omits to refer specifically
to s 65DAA(2), and to then expressly apply that sub-section, it may still be
sufficient if it can be inferred from an examination of the reasons
for judgment
as a whole that he or she has addressed the matters in s 65DAA(2). That is
plain from the decisions of the Full Court in SCVG & KLD (2014) FLC
93-582, Orpheus & Orpheus [2014] FamCAFC 70, and Nada &
Nettle [2014] FamCAFC 123. However, to repeat, we are not persuaded that
the necessary inferences can be made from his Honour’s findings read
holistically.
Further, as the mother submitted in her written summary of
argument:
- ...
There were no “factual and legal concessions” which could
“conclusively deal” with factors that the legislation
required to be
considered. Issues relating to time, best interests and reasonable
practicability remained very much in contention.
- At
[79] of the reasons for judgment his Honour said:
The Act also requires me to apply a presumption of equal shared parental
responsibility. This has already been appropriately agreed
between the parties
and therefore it is unnecessary for me to comment on this further.
It is unclear to us precisely what his Honour meant in this passage. On one
view, it might appear to be confined to the facts as
stated. That is to say
that the parties had agreed (because both sought such an order) that there would
be an order for equal shared
parental responsibility, effectively applying the
presumption, and that there was no need to further consider whether such an
order
should be made as there was no controversy. However, as indicated, the
proposal to provide for the parents to have equal shared
parental responsibility
by the making of an order immediately engages s 65DAA of the Act. Given that
his Honour did not refer to
that section at any stage, another interpretation of
[79] of the reasons for judgment is that his Honour misunderstood that the
making
of an order for equal shared parental responsibility, whether by consent
or otherwise, no longer required him to engage with the
provisions of s 65DAA.
This uncertainty makes it difficult to know whether any real consideration was
given to the matters in s
65DAA, even if contained in findings made under other
sections of Part VII of the Act.
- In
this case of course the controversy was over the question of substantial and
significant time. The father’s proposal was
that the mother remain in
Perth, and that he continue to have substantial and significant time with the
children. The mother conceded
that the orders he was enjoying, and the orders
that he proposed, were she to remain in Perth, constituted substantial and
significant
time. However, the mother’s case was that she should be
permitted to relocate the children to South Australia, and that the
orders that
would be in place, if she were permitted to go, both as sought by her and the
father, would not provide for substantial
and significant time. Thus, as the
mother submitted in her summary of argument, this was a live issue for his
Honour, and findings
needed to be made under s 65DAA(2) of the Act.
- On
the question of whether the trial judge addressed “reasonable
practicability” counsel for the father conceded that
in his Honour’s
reasons for judgment he only addressed the question of reasonable practicability
at [45], [46], [63], [83],
[110], [112], [113], and [114]. Only two of these
paragraphs ([63] and [112]) related to the circumstances of the mother, and the
rest related to the father. It also needs to be understood that these were
matters that his Honour referred to when setting out
the husband’s
proposed arrangements, identifying the evidence before him, and assessing the
best interests of the children
by reference to relevant factors in s 60CC; his
Honour was not considering them in the context of s 65DAA(2)(d) (and s
65DAA(5)).
- Further,
in Ground 1 the mother asserts that his Honour failed to weigh up the relative
proposals of each of the parties, and it can
be seen that when the matters
raised by the mother going to reasonable practicability are exposed, they were
not addressed by his
Honour at all, and certainly not in the context of s
65DAA(2)(d). The mother set out the various matters that his Honour should
have
considered in complying with s 65DAA(5) in paragraph 18 of her written summary
or argument as follows:
...
- The
mother’s [unchallenged] evidence of situational anxiety and depression,
and consequent effects on her parenting capacity;
- The
mother’s evidence of much more affordable housing, and lower living costs,
in [South Australia];
- The
mother’s [unchallenged] evidence that it would be extremely difficult if
not impossible for her to retrain and resume her
[health professional]
profession in Perth, but this was eminently feasible in [South Australia];
- The
mother’s evidence that she would be forced to access day care facilities
in Perth, a prospect which concerned her greatly,
whereas she could access
unlimited, free, best quality child-minding from family members in [South
Australia];
- [His
Honour’s] finding in relation to “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”, which was
a positive finding in
respect of the mother’s proposal;
- The
mother’s evidence that she would not only have more time with her children
in [South Australia], but would have greater
opportunities for “one on
one” time with each of her children;
- [His
Honour’s] own finding that the mother’s proposal would not involve
financial difficulty for the father, nor would
there be any problems with
communication between the parents over issues involving the
children.
- We
accept this submission, and thus, given what the High Court has said in MRR v
GR, we doubt that the necessary findings providing the power to make the
orders which his Honour made were present. Accordingly we find
that there is
merit in these grounds of appeal.
Grounds 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9
- Given
that we have found merit in Grounds 1, 2, 3 and 4 we do not intend to discuss
the other grounds of appeal, save only to say
that, without rejecting completely
the matters raised by the mother in support of them, we do not find any of them,
either collectively
or individually, to constitute appealable error.
CONCLUSION
- Having
found merit in Grounds 1, 2, 3 and 4, the appeal must be allowed and certain of
the orders made by his Honour set aside. Curiously,
in Part E paragraph 8 of
the Amended Notice of Appeal the mother identified paragraphs 4, 5, 6, 7, 14(b),
16, 17, and 18 of order
1 as the orders appealed against, but in the orders
sought she only sought that paragraph 4 (the injunction) be set aside. It is
certainly necessary to set aside paragraph 4, but we also consider that
paragraphs 5, 6, 7, and 16 should be set aside because they
are the parenting
orders that were made on the basis of the mother having to keep the children in
Perth. As a formality it is also
appropriate to set aside order 2, namely that
“[t]he said proceedings otherwise be and are hereby dismissed”.
There is
no basis though to set aside paragraphs 14(b), 17 or 18 of order 1.
- Further,
in the absence of any findings in the context of s 65DAA(2) of the Act to
support the decision it is not open to this court
to re-exercise the discretion
and the parenting proceedings will have to be remitted to the Family Court of
Western Australia for
rehearing by a judge other than Moncrieff J. On that
basis it is appropriate to provide for the setting aside of the relevant orders
to take effect upon the commencement of that rehearing. That will avoid there
being a hiatus in the arrangements for the children
pending the
rehearing.
COSTS
- At
the conclusion of the hearing we received submissions as to the question of
costs depending upon the result of the appeal. In
the event that the appeal was
successful, both parties argued that each party should bear their own costs, but
that costs certificates
should issue for the appeal and for the rehearing
pursuant to the Federal Proceedings (Costs) Act 1981 (Cth).
- We
agree that there should be no order for costs but that it is appropriate for
costs certificates to issue as sought.
I certify that the
preceding forty seven (47) paragraphs are a true copy of the reasons for
judgment of the Honourable Full Court
(Bryant CJ, May and Strickland JJ)
delivered on 17 December 2014.
Legal Associate:
Date: 17 December 2014
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URL: http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/cases/cth/FamCAFC/2014/242.html