WATSON & PETERSON

This matter came before Bennett J concerning parenting proceedings between Watson and Peterson. The dispute involved the welfare of the child, B, born in July 2000.

The court was required to determine several issues, including the scheduling of a final hearing, the preparation of a follow-up family report, and the specific matters to be addressed within that report. Additionally, the court needed to consider the filing and service of further evidence by both parties, the issuance of a subpoena for the child's school records, and the attendance of various experts at trial. The court also had to address the responsibility for the reasonable costs of expert witnesses attending court and the redaction of the mother's residential address from school documents.

Bennett J ordered that the final hearing be vacated and relisted for 20 August 2012, with a preliminary mention by telephone on 7 August 2012. A family report was to be prepared by a nominated Family Consultant, addressing the child's views, observations of the parties with the child, the feasibility of father-child contact, matters under section 60CC of the *Family Law Act 1975*, parental capacity to cooperate, and recommendations for resolution in the child's best interests. Strict timelines were set for the filing of evidence by both the mother and the father. The independent children's lawyer was directed to issue a subpoena for the child's school personnel file and to arrange for the attendance of specified experts, with parties required to notify if they intended to cross-examine these experts. The court reserved the issue of responsibility for expert witness costs for determination at trial. Further directions were given regarding the redaction of the mother's address from school documents and the father's contact details. The court also noted that it might proceed to determine the matter without the input of a party who failed to attend or defaulted in filing documents.