Steel and Wei

In the matter of *Steel and Wei*, Brown J of the Family Court of Australia considered an application by the husband for permission to take the child, L, born in January 1993, outside the Commonwealth of Australia to New York between 9 December 2007 and 3 January 2008. The wife was the respondent in this application.

The primary legal issue before the court was whether to grant the husband's request for international travel with the child, and if so, what conditions should be imposed to safeguard the child's welfare and the wife's parental rights. This involved assessing the proposed travel arrangements and ensuring appropriate communication and oversight.

Brown J reasoned that the proposed travel was in the child's best interests, subject to certain conditions. The court ordered that the husband be permitted to take L to New York, with specific provisions for the release and return of L's passport to the registrar of the Family Court. Further orders mandated that the husband ensure L telephones the wife upon arrival in New York and upon returning to Australia, and that the husband provide the wife with accommodation details as soon as practicable after booking. The court also directed that sealed copies of the order be sent to the wife and served on the Australian Federal Police.