Nikolakis and Nikolakis

In the matter of *Nikolakis and Nikolakis*, heard before Foster J, the dispute concerned the ability of the children, C and D, to travel internationally. The father, Mr Nikolakis, sought orders to remove the children's names from the Airport Watchlist and to permit their international travel, as well as to obtain Australian travel documents for them without the mother's, Ms Nikolakis', consent.

The central legal issues before the court were whether the children should be permitted to travel internationally, and whether the father could obtain Australian travel documents for the children without the mother's consent. These issues necessarily involved considerations of the children's best interests and the relevant provisions of the *Family Law Act 1975* (Cth) concerning international travel and the issuance of travel documents.

Foster J reasoned that the existing watchlisting of the children was no longer justified and that their liberty to travel internationally should be restored. The court determined that the father should be permitted to apply for Australian travel documents for the children without requiring the mother's prior consent, indicating a shift in the court's view regarding the necessity of parental agreement for such applications in this specific context. Consequently, the court ordered the removal of the children from the Airport Watchlist, granting them liberty to travel internationally, and allowed the father to apply for Australian travel documents for the children without the mother's consent.