Teke and Cefai

In the matter of *Teke and Cefai*, heard before Cronin J, the dispute concerned parenting orders for the parties' child, X Teke-Cefai. The applicant mother sought to discharge existing parenting orders and obtain sole parental responsibility for the child, including the right to change the child's surname.

The central legal issues before the court were whether to discharge the existing parenting orders, whether to grant the mother sole parental responsibility, and whether to permit the child to live with the mother and adopt her surname. The court was also required to consider the specific provisions of the *Family Law Act 1975* (Cth) relating to parental responsibility and the best interests of the child.

Cronin J reasoned that it was in the child's best interests to discharge the previous parenting orders and grant the mother sole parental responsibility. This decision was based on the court's assessment of the circumstances and the child's welfare. As an incident of sole parental responsibility, the court approved the use of the child's surname as X Teke, and ordered that the child live with the mother. The court also made detailed orders regarding compliance and consequences of contravention, as set out in an attached Fact Sheet, and permitted the mother to provide a copy of the order and reasons to the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages (Victoria). Service of further documents on the respondent father was waived, and all outstanding applications were dismissed.