Ngo and Anor and Ngo and Ors

In the matter of *Ngo and Anor and Ngo and Ors*, heard by Judge Newbrun, the applicants sought orders concerning their child, X, born in 2005. The dispute involved parental responsibility, living arrangements, and international travel for the child, as well as citizenship and a change of surname. The court also considered whether to dispense with certain procedural requirements regarding service and family counselling.

The primary legal issues before the court were whether to grant equal shared parental responsibility to the applicants, to order that the child live with the applicants, and to permit the child to travel internationally. Additionally, the court had to determine whether to dispense with the requirements for family counselling or a conference under sections 65F or 65G of the relevant legislation, and whether to allow the applicants to apply for the child's Australian citizenship and passport, and to change the child's surname to Ngo.

Judge Newbrun reasoned that it was in the child's best interests to grant the orders sought. The court dispensed with any rules or regulations requiring service other than by post or service by a party upon another party, provided the proceedings had come to the notice of the respondents. The court ordered equal shared parental responsibility for the child X, that X live with the applicants, and that X spend time with the respondents as agreed. The court also dispensed with the requirements of sections 65F or 65G for family counselling or a conference. Furthermore, the court permitted X to travel internationally, allowed the applicants to apply for X to become an Australian citizen and for an Australian passport to be issued, and ordered that the applicants take all necessary steps to change X's name to the surname Ngo.