Matthews and Norris

In the matter of *Matthews and Norris*, Austin J of the Supreme Court of New South Wales considered applications concerning the welfare of a child, B. The proceedings involved a dispute between the parties, presumably parents, regarding the child's future and the terms of existing court orders.

The primary legal issues before the court were whether to grant leave for the respondent wife to be represented by a McKenzie Friend, the discharge of specific interim orders relating to the child, and the imposition of a travel restriction preventing the child's removal from Australia. The court also had to determine the fate of various applications filed by the parties and consider the inspection of documents produced by third parties.

Austin J, by consent of the parties, granted leave for the respondent wife to rely upon Mr West as her McKenzie Friend. The court also, by consent and pending further order, discharged existing orders numbered 1.11 and 1.12. Crucially, the court ordered that neither party was permitted to remove the child, B, from the Commonwealth of Australia, requesting the Australian Federal Police to place the child's name on the Airport Watch List for 12 months. Further, the court dismissed the applications filed by the parties on 13 and 19 December 2016, along with any other outstanding applications for interim relief. By consent, leave was also granted for the parties and the Independent Children's Lawyer to inspect documents produced by Positive Fix and Roads & Maritime Services. Finally, order 13 of 24 November 2016 was discharged, and the substantive proceedings were relisted for further procedural directions. No order was made as to costs.