Just last Wednesday the High Court handed down a landmark decision confirming the legal parentage of a sperm donor. Robert Masson donated sperm to his friend Susan Parsons in 2006, leading to the conception of now twelve-year-old “B”. Robert is listed on B’s birth certificate as her parent. B calls Robert “Daddy”.
This year the High Court will hear a landmark case on the legal parentage of a child born via sperm donation.
In its recent ruling, Commissioner of Taxation for the Commonwealth of Australia v Tomaras[note][2018] HCA 62.[/note], the High Court of Australia held that a wife’s $250,000 tax debt to the Australian Tax Office (“ATO”) could be assigned to her husband.
Last Wednesday, 5 December 2018 the Morrison Government passed legislation protecting victims of family violence from direct cross-examination by their alleged perpetrators in family law proceedings.
Recent amendments to the Family Law Act 1975 (Cth) have introduced greater consequences for parents who abduct children. The reforms extend a penalty of three years imprisonment to parents who retain a child overseas beyond their required return date in breach of an existing or pending court order or written agreement.