McDonald and Choudhary

In the matter of *McDonald and Choudhary*, heard before Macmillan J, the dispute concerned parenting orders for two children, B and C. The orders made by the court addressed issues of parental responsibility, the children's living arrangements, and the nature and extent of the mother's future contact with the children.

The court was required to determine the most appropriate parenting arrangements for the children, considering the welfare and best interests of B and C. This involved assessing the capacity of each parent to provide for the children's needs, including their education, religious and cultural upbringing, and health. The court also had to consider the mother's engagement with therapeutic interventions to address identified issues before unsupervised time with the children could be contemplated.

Macmillan J ordered the discharge of all previous parenting orders and granted the father sole parental responsibility for the children. The children were to live with the father, and the mother was initially restrained from spending time or communicating with them for three months. Following this period, supervised time with the mother was to commence at a contact centre. The mother was directed to engage in therapy with a psychologist or counsellor, with her progress to be reported to the Independent Children's Lawyer and subsequently the father. The court also made orders regarding the father's ability to travel overseas with the children and directed the Australian Federal Police to remove the children's names from the Airport Watch List.