Szabo & Associates News & Updates

The family-run company Swansbel (Pastoral) Pty Ltd has recently (May 2019) been fined by the NSW Land and Environment Court for clearing 300 hectares of native vegetation in 2013 near Narrabri, NSW, and planting cotton in its place: Office of Environment & Heritage v Swansbel (Pastoral) Pty Ltd (2019) NSWLEC 69. It was also noted that one of the family directors, who lives on the property, knew the company needed approval if it was going to remove the vegetation but deliberately did not do so.

Grandparents can have a significant role in the lives of their grandchildren in all sorts of ways. If the relationship between the parents has become strained, this can have a consequential impact on the relationship between grandparent and grandchild. The grandparents may even be prevented from seeing their grandchildren.

We recently posted a blog concerning myths about divorce (8 Myths About Your Divorce), one of which referred to changing a spouse's name back to their maiden name after divorce. In a similar vein, after separation, many parents want to know about applying to change their child's surname. The parent may have already reverted to their maiden name or considering remarriage.

Background

In property proceedings, it can sometimes be the case that one party will seek to dispose of assets, or otherwise arrange their financial affairs, to prevent the other party from receiving a share of an asset, or all of the assets, of the relationship.

Background

Although three years of protracted proceedings had already passed, in giving consideration as to whether to make final parenting orders, the Federal Circuit Court in Geisler v Geisler (2018) decided that it was still in the best interests of the two young children involved, aged nearly 5 and 8 years, to delay proceedings for a further 12 months. How would the Court justify yet further delay given the time already spent in the Court system, the uncertainty for the family and the pressure on the Court’s time?