Olgun and Neilson and Anor

In the matter of *Olgun and Neilson and Anor*, Hannam J of the Family Court of Australia considered an application by the father (the applicant) seeking interim orders concerning the care of the parties' children. The mother opposed the application.

The primary legal issues before the Court were whether to grant the interim orders sought by the father, specifically concerning the children's living arrangements and the mother's care of them, and whether to involve the Director-General of the NSW Department of Family and Community Services in the proceedings. The Court also had to determine whether to make orders restraining the parties from denigrating each other in the presence of the children.

Hannam J dismissed the father's interim orders as sought in the Amended Initiating Application. However, the Court made orders restraining the mother from leaving the children in the sole care of her mother, Ms B, and prohibiting either party from denigrating the other in the presence or hearing of the children. Crucially, pursuant to section 91B of the *Family Law Act 1975* (Cth), the Court requested the intervention of the Director-General of the NSW Department of Family and Community Services, directing that a Notice of Intervention be filed by 30 April 2014 if the Director-General intervened. Leave was also granted for the Director-General to inspect and copy court documents. The matter was otherwise adjourned pending the preparation of a family report.