Jelic and Millay

In the matter of *Jelic and Millay*, Strickland J of the Supreme Court of New South Wales considered a dispute concerning the parenting arrangements for a child born in July 2000. The proceedings involved the father and the mother, with the Minister of Families and Community Services also a party.

The court was required to determine interim parenting orders and to consider the appropriate forum for the final resolution of the matter. Key issues included the child's living arrangements, the specific times the child would spend with each parent, and the imposition of injunctions regarding the parents' conduct, specifically concerning alcohol consumption by the mother and illicit substance use by the father.

Strickland J reasoned that the case involved complex issues that would be more appropriately dealt with by the Federal Magistrates Court. Consequently, the court ordered the transfer of the proceedings to that court for hearing. In the interim, the court made specific orders for the child to live with the father and for the child to spend time with the mother on weekends, with detailed arrangements for collection and return. Crucially, injunctions were granted restraining the mother from consuming alcohol for 12 hours prior to and during her time with the child, and restraining the father from consuming illicit substances during the time the child was in his care. The Minister was released from further attendance at hearings.