What it means
Parental responsibility under the Family Law Act 1975 (Cth) refers to all the duties, powers and authority parents have for their children, particularly major long-term decisions about matters like education, health, religion and where a child lives. By default, each parent has parental responsibility. Following 2024 reforms, there is no longer a presumption of "equal shared parental responsibility"; instead, courts decide what arrangement is in the child's best interests. Parental responsibility is about decision-making, and is separate from how much time a child spends with each parent.
How it's used
The orders gave both parents joint parental responsibility, meaning they had to consult each other before changing the children's school.