BILAL & HAMDI

In the matter of BILAL & HAMDI, Judge Newbrun of the Federal Circuit Court of Australia considered parenting orders concerning a child born in 2017. The dispute involved the mother, Ms Bilal, and the father, Mr Hamdi, regarding the child's living arrangements, parental responsibility, and the father's contact with both the mother and the child.

The court was required to determine the best interests of the child in relation to sole parental responsibility, the child's residence, and the extent to which the father should be restrained from approaching or contacting the mother and child. Additionally, the court needed to consider the implications of its orders for international travel and passport applications for the child.

Applying the principles of the *Family Law Act 1975* (Cth), particularly sections 68B and 68C, the court made orders for the mother to have sole parental responsibility and for the child to live with her. Crucially, the father was restrained from being within 200 metres of the mother or child and from any form of contact, with police authorised to arrest him without warrant for breaches. The orders also facilitated the child's international travel with the mother and allowed the mother to apply for travel documents without the father's consent. The court also noted that the father had three months to apply to set aside the orders if they were made in his absence.