Maternal Grandmother under Cross-examination by Counsel for the Independent Children’s Lawyer

Maternal Grandmother Under Cross-Examination by Counsel for the Independent Children’s Lawyer

Maternal grandmother:

105. The maternal grandmother said that when Mr G died in 2015 she was alone with X. X wanted to meet his siblings. Her daughter also asked her to help financially. This was (omitted), who is 21 years old. Details of the other siblings were provided.
106. The maternal grandmother lives with (omitted) who is in a relationship with a woman who has a child of her own. The four have moved together since they first came to Melbourne.
107. The maternal grandmother knew that X’s parents had a violent relationship. She had seen them and been in their house. X asked why his parents were not together. Adult stuff is for adults and she protects X so he can be a kid. She has seen the parents smoking marijuana when they visited in Victoria on two occasions. The grandmother said, “Violence is not on in my book”, the way the father behaved when he was in his house. He was swearing, punching and throwing things.
108. She had no interest in the father’s life if it did not affect X. She had heard the father say he had turned his life around before. He said this when he came to their house in Queensland. She said he was lying and trying to fool the Court.
109. When cross-examined about the meal at (omitted), she conceded this took place. X was not as happy as was asserted. She agreed it was possible she had refused to give the paternal grandmother her phone number. This was because of threats to take X. The father had come to Queensland and said he wanted X in his care.
110. The maternal grandmother had not played in any role in Y stopping seeing his father. She speaks to his foster mother. The two boys do not want to see each other as they irritate each other. She had lost contact with Y’s foster mother for a while because each of them has successively lost their telephones. Normally she speaks to Y’s mother once a fortnight or a month. She has A on Facebook but not often.
111. The DHHS facilitates sibling get togethers and these have not stopped. The (omitted)’s organisation (the organisation for children with drug affected parents already referred to) was recommended by a psychologist who came to the school. The school asked for a care plan through the GP. Ms P sees X now. He has been in care from very early on for his conditions. Ms P was recommended by the paediatrician to help X with skills. Ms P commenced seeing X in March 2017. X is not happy to continue with her but his behaviour at school is currently okay. He always passes at school.
112. X is very nonchalant. He does not care. This is part of his foetal alcohol disorder. He is a very social boy but he is not good at being kind to people. He does not keep friends. They keep (hobby omitted) up because X likes to do it. She has found a group for boys who get together once per week and this does help. She has not spoken to X’s mother for so long she has no idea what she is doing. X is active and would not sit in a room.
113. The father had told her in February 2016 not to have contact with Ms B. She did not know why. The father failed to turn up for meetings with X. X gets over everything in five minutes.
114. She was further cross-examined about the incident at the (omitted) park. The father got bored after about five minutes. He then said he wanted X the whole weekend at his mother’s house. She said no. His voice got louder. He said, “You have no fucking right to keep my son from me”. She had told the father he could not have X each weekend as she had to arrange times with the siblings. He said he did not care about the siblings. X was riding nearby at the time. The father called him over to give him money and said he was leaving. She had tried to calm the father down and he said to her, “You had fucking better”. She said the father was using X as a pawn to control the situation. The father has sworn at her in April 2016.
115. There had no time between his mother and X for about 16 months. If she rang she would ask her if she was still in Victoria. If the mother was okay with the grandmother being present she would probably allow some time. If she behaved inappropriately the grandmother would leave.
116. When she went to see Ms M she told X that she would decide if he spent time with the father. She tells X that his father loves him in his own way and X rolls his eyes and gives up. She is enrolled at Berry Street and is aware time is available in December. She said if X had to see his father she would do her level best to get him there. She said it will upset X so much and upset his schooling and home life. It will upset her because it upsets him.

Sunshine Coast