The parents of the six-year-old boy killed in a house fire are in the process of starting a trial for a parental leave scheme that could see them eligible to take time off work.
The trial is being heard in the High Court in Melbourne, which is due to resume on Monday.
The boy’s parents, Chris Watts and his sister, Lisa, have been waiting for more than a year for the trial to be concluded after the courts ruled the trial must take place before the court can order their father’s case to be heard.
The father’s lawyer, Alan Brown, said the trial was being held because the court had not been able to resolve the issues surrounding the case and it was important that the case go to trial.
“The trial is about the fairness of the process,” Mr Brown said.
“We have to move the process forward.”
The trial, which has been adjourned until April 7, is expected to take about a year to complete.
The parents will have to give evidence to a jury in the case, and the trial will be held in an open court.
Mr Brown has been in the dock on several occasions, and Mr Watts said he would have preferred a trial to take place in the public gallery.
The case will be adjourned to April 7 after the court decides the details of the case.
The High Court has been told the trial is scheduled to start at 9.00am on Monday, and will run until 10.00pm on Monday after which the trial can be adjournment.
Mr Watts’ lawyer said the family would continue to wait for a decision on the trial date.
The court has previously ruled the family must give evidence in a public gallery so it could be heard by a jury.
The family’s lawyer said they were waiting for a ruling on the case to come through.
