Feranti and Connor (No. 4)

In *Feranti and Connor (No. 4)*, Strickland J of the Family Court of Australia considered an application concerning a child born in March 1995. The dispute involved the mother's desire to travel overseas with the child and the father's objections, alongside broader issues of parental communication and conduct.

The court was required to determine whether to permit the child to travel overseas with the mother, the conditions under which such travel should occur, and how to manage the child's passport. Additionally, the court addressed the father's contact with the child during the period of overseas travel and the mother's conduct in the child's presence. The court also considered the dismissal of certain applications filed by the parties.

Strickland J ordered that the child be permitted to travel overseas with the mother from 17 September 2008, returning on 19 November 2008. To facilitate this, a Registrar was authorised to sign the child's passport application. The child's passport was to be lodged with the court upon return and released only by consent or further order. The mother was restrained from denigrating the father in the child's presence and was required to enter into a recognisance of $40,000, payable to the court if the child was not returned by 24 November 2008. Orders regarding the child's time with the father and telephone communication were suspended during the overseas travel, with specific conditions for weekly telephone contact and a pre-travel visit, including the father bearing initial airfare costs which the mother was to reimburse. Further consideration of the matter was adjourned, with provisions for vacating the adjourned hearing if the child returned by the specified date. Certain applications filed by the mother and father were dismissed.