Little and Ashbury

In the matter of Little & Ashbury, Bennett J considered interim parenting issues concerning the child, B. The proceedings involved the parents and an independent children's lawyer.

The court was required to determine the necessity of psychiatric assessments for both parents and to make orders regarding the adjournment of the proceedings and the funding of these assessments. The court also considered the potential impact of criminal proceedings against the father on the parenting issues.

Bennett J ordered that the proceedings be adjourned for the determination of interim parenting issues. The court further ordered that both parents undertake psychiatric assessments, subject to the father's liberty to apply to vacate this requirement if he faced criminal proceedings related to the mother's older child, E. The court also requested favourable consideration from Victoria Legal Aid for funding the mother's contribution to the assessments and granted the independent children's lawyer liberty to seek an administrative adjournment if criminal charges against the father remained unresolved.