Sauber and Caito (No.2)

This matter concerned an application before Judge Young in the Federal Circuit Court of Australia, involving parties identified as Sauber and Caito, and their child, X, born in 2006. The dispute centred on arrangements for the child, including the preparation of a family report and communication with the mother.

The court was required to determine the terms of a family report to be prepared by a family consultant, specifying the matters to be addressed within that report, including the child's views, factors affecting the weight of those views, and the considerations outlined in sections 60CC, 61DA, and 65DAA of the *Family Law Act 1975*. Additionally, the court needed to make orders regarding the child's electronic communication with the mother and the father's travel arrangements for family report interviews, subject to COVID-19 restrictions.

Judge Young ordered that the parties and child X attend upon a family consultant nominated by the Regional Coordinator Child Dispute Services for the preparation of a family report. The report was to address the child's views, relevant statutory considerations under the *Family Law Act 1975*, and any other matters deemed important to the child's welfare. The court also directed that the father arrange for himself and the child to travel to Darwin for interviews if required, provided COVID-19 restrictions permitted. Further orders detailed the process for document disclosure to the report writer, confirmation of attendance, distribution of the report, and potential release of the report to specified external bodies, with specific notations regarding the admissibility of the report as evidence and the prohibition on public dissemination of proceedings under section 121 of the *Family Law Act 1975*. The matter was listed for further directions.