BLETCH & DOUGLAS

The parties involved were the father of a child named B, and the mother, Ms Douglas. The dispute concerned the recovery of the child B and the mother's alleged attempts to remove the child from Australia. The matter came before Loughnan J of the Federal Circuit Court of Australia.

The court was required to determine whether to grant a recovery order for the child B, authorising law enforcement to recover the child and deliver them to the father, with whom the child was to reside. Additionally, the court considered whether to restrain the mother from removing the child from Australia and to place the child's name on an Airport Watch List. The court also addressed the inspection of documents by the father's solicitor and the facilitation of the child's attendance at appointments with the Independent Children's Lawyer.

Loughnan J granted leave for the father's solicitor to inspect documents produced by several government departments. A recovery order was issued, directing law enforcement officers to recover the child B and deliver the child to the father. The court noted that the paternal grandfather and/or the father would likely accompany officers during the execution of the recovery order and requested their assistance in accompanying the child and father to the nearest capital city registry of the court. Leave was also granted for the father's solicitor to release address information to a process server for service on the mother, with specific directions regarding affidavits of service. The court acknowledged the provisions of section 67P of the *Family Law Act 1975* (Cth) concerning the prohibition on providing information from location orders. The father was directed to facilitate the child's attendance at appointments with the Independent Children's Lawyer.

Furthermore, Ms Douglas, her servants and/or agents were restrained from removing or attempting to remove the child from the Commonwealth of Australia. The Australian Federal Police were requested to place the child's name on the Airport Watch List until further order or for 12 months. The proceedings were adjourned, with liberty to apply granted to any party on 24 hours' notice. An earlier order made on 21 December 2015 was vacated upon the execution of the recovery order.