Department of Community Services and Roland and Anor

The case involved the Department of Community Services and the parents of a child, referred to as Roland and Anor. The dispute concerned the parental responsibility and living arrangements for the child. The decision was made by Justice Murphy.

The court was required to determine the appropriate orders regarding the child's sole parental responsibility, where the child would live, and the nature and conditions of contact between the child and each parent. Additionally, the court considered applications for leave to issue subpoenas, to have the child medically examined, and for legal representatives to inspect and copy documents produced by subpoena.

Justice Murphy ordered that previous orders made by the Federal Magistrates Court be discharged. The Minister for Community Services was granted sole parental responsibility, with the child to live with a person chosen by the Minister. Contact between the child and each parent was significantly restricted and made conditional upon strict requirements, including drug and alcohol testing, providing contact details, and refraining from questioning the child about the other parent or carers, or speaking disrespectfully of them. The court also granted leave for various parties to issue subpoenas, for the child to be assessed by medical professionals, and for legal representatives to inspect and copy documents, with specific conditions regarding the copying of documents by the parents' representatives. The particulars of the obligations and consequences of contravening these orders were to be set out in an attached Fact Sheet.