Hong and Wai

In *Hong and Wai*, heard by Judge Harland, the applicant mother sought the immediate return of the child, X, from the respondent father. The dispute concerned the physical custody and location of the child, with the mother seeking to have the child delivered to her and permitted to remove the child from Australia.

The court was required to determine whether to order the immediate return of the child to the mother and whether to permit the mother to remove the child from Australia. This involved considering the welfare of the child and the existing orders of the court.

Judge Harland ordered the respondent father to forthwith deliver the child X to the applicant mother within 24 hours, along with the child's current passport. Upon the father's compliance, a previous order made on 12 December 2015, which had placed the child on a watch list, was to be discharged. The mother was also permitted to remove the child from Australia. Liberty to apply was granted to all parties.