Macklin and Camburn (No.2)

In the matter of *Macklin and Camburn (No.2)*, Judge Young of the Federal Circuit Court of Australia considered issues concerning the safety of two children, Y and X, born in 2017, and their time spent with their father. The dispute centred on arrangements for the children's care, particularly in light of concerns about the mother's premises and the father's alcohol consumption.

The court was required to determine the appropriate interim parenting orders, including the father's time with the children and conditions relating to his care. A significant legal issue was the need for independent representation of the children's interests, as mandated by section 68L(2) of the *Family Law Act 1975* (Cth).

Judge Young applied the principles of the *Family Law Act 1975* (Cth) concerning the best interests of the children. The court ordered that the father was not to consume alcohol while the children were in his care and set out specific weekly periods for the children to spend time with him. Crucially, the court ordered that the children's interests be independently represented by a lawyer, requesting the Northern Territory Legal Aid Commission to secure this representation. The Independent Children’s Lawyer was granted leave to inspect and copy subpoenaed material and was to be provided with all relevant documents by each party within seven days of their appointment. The matter was adjourned for a telephone mention.