Bondai and Bretton

The case of *Bondai and Bretton* concerned an application by the mother seeking to dismiss the father's substantive application for parenting orders. The father had filed his application on 16 December 2011, and the mother's application to dismiss it was filed on 7 February 2012. The matter came before Forrest J.

The primary legal issue before the court was whether the father's substantive application for parenting orders should be dismissed. A secondary issue arose regarding the father's application for interim and procedural orders, which was also before the court.

Forrest J dismissed the mother's application to dismiss the father's substantive application for parenting orders. The court also dismissed the father's application for interim and procedural orders. Crucially, pursuant to section 68L(2) of the relevant legislation, the court ordered that the interests of the two children, B Bondai and E Bondai, be independently represented by a lawyer, requesting Legal Aid Queensland to make arrangements for this representation. The matter was then adjourned to the Registrar for directions regarding the further progress of the proceedings, including potential directions for a final hearing.