Complete consideration of a parent’s financial circumstances may be required when ordering parentaltime that necessitates air travel.
For example, during COVID-19 lockdowns, Australian citizens were prohibited from leaving Australia unless they were given permission, and at times were even prohibited from travelling across state borders. The list of circumstances which might secure permission did not obviously identify travelling to spend time with a child who lives elsewhere. The only category which might apply is for travel on compassionate or humanitarian grounds. In these circumstances, on the assumption (which is not made) that a parent obtained permission to travel either overseas or interstate as often as the Court orders provide to enjoy the benefit of contact with their child, on return the parent must quarantine at a designated facility in the port of arrival for 14 days. The cost of quarantine would be the travelling parent’s responsibility. Thus, the travelling parent would be unable to work for an additional six weeks annually and incur substantial costs that were not originally contemplated.
These and other issues require careful and expert consideration prior to applications being made to the Court. Matthews Folbigg has a team of experienced family law lawyers, divorce lawyers and child custody lawyers that are well-equipped to assist if you are facing challenges relating to child custody. If you would like to discuss a child custody issue with one of our child custody lawyers, please do not hesitate to contact us on 02 9635 7966 or email us at famlaw@matthewsfolbigg.com.au You will also find various contact options through our website at https://www.matthewsfolbigg.com.au/contact/
