Gaseley and Chalinor

In the matter of *Gaseley and Chalinor*, Aldridge J of the Family Court of Australia granted leave for the proceedings to continue on an ex parte basis. The father sought orders concerning the location of a child, and the court was required to determine the appropriate orders to facilitate the disclosure of information regarding the child's whereabouts.

The central legal issue before the court was whether to make a location order pursuant to section 67N of the *Family Law Act 1975* (Cth). This involved considering the scope of information that could be sought from the Secretary of the Department of Human Services (Centrelink) and the duration for which such an order should remain in force, particularly in circumstances where a section 60I certificate was not yet in place.

Aldridge J reasoned that a location order was necessary to ascertain the child's location and that the Department's records could provide crucial information. The court applied section 67N of the *Family Law Act 1975* (Cth), which permits the court to order the Secretary to search departmental records for information about a child's location. The court also considered the need for ongoing searches and the types of information to be disclosed, including details of addresses, associated persons, and financial institutions involved in payments. Furthermore, the court invoked section 67N(8) to ensure that any information regarding actual or threatened violence was also disclosed.

The court made orders in accordance with the father's application. These orders directed the Secretary of the Department of Human Services to search departmental records for the child's location and provide this information to the Registrar of the Court. The order specified the scope of the information to be disclosed, including addresses and details of associated persons and financial institutions. The location order was made to remain in force for a period of 12 months, and the Registry Manager was directed to notify the applicant's legal representative upon receipt of information from the Department.