Department of Human Services and Santorno & Anor

The proceedings involved the Director-General of the Department of Human Services and the parents, Ms Santorno and Mr Santorno, concerning the welfare of their children, N and E. Judicial Registrar Loughnan presided over the matter. The core dispute revolved around the allocation of parental responsibility and the arrangements for the children's contact with their parents.

The court was required to determine the appropriate orders regarding parental responsibility for N and E, and to establish the terms of supervised contact between the children and each parent. Additionally, the court considered the dissemination of a specific report and the provision of departmental documents relating to notifications of suspected abuse or family violence concerning the children. The court also addressed the process for making substantive changes to the children's living arrangements and the future conduct of the proceedings.

Judicial Registrar Loughnan made orders allocating parental responsibility solely to the Minister for Community Services until further order. The children were ordered to spend time with each parent separately, once a week for two hours, with contact to be supervised by the Director-General. The court also imposed restrictions on the dissemination of a particular report and mandated the Director-General to provide specified departmental documents within 21 days. Furthermore, the Director-General was required to advise the parents' solicitors of any proposed substantive changes to the children's living arrangements. The proceedings were adjourned for a call-over on 28 April 2010.