Widford and Widford

In *Widford and Widford*, heard by Murphy J, the father sought orders concerning his children, B and S. The dispute involved the father's application filed on 8 June 2011, which sought to dispense with certain Family Law Rules 2004 requirements, including hearing the application in chambers without appearance, abridging times, and deeming service effected on the mother. The father also sought the discharge of paragraphs 8 to 12 of consent orders made on 11 December 2006, the release of the children's passports to him for safekeeping until S turned 18, and the removal of the children's names from the Airport Watch List.

The court was required to determine whether to grant the father's application to dispense with procedural requirements and to discharge existing consent orders. Central to the determination was the father's request for the release of the children's passports and the removal of their names from the Airport Watch List, with the express intention that these orders would be effective immediately to permit S to leave Australia.

Murphy J ordered that the requirements of the Family Law Rules 2004 be dispensed with to allow the father's application to be heard and determined in chambers without the parties needing to appear, and that any necessary times be abridged and service be deemed effected on the mother. The court further ordered the discharge of paragraphs 8 to 12 of the consent orders made on 11 December 2006. The passports of B and S were ordered to be released to the father for safekeeping until S reached the age of 18. Finally, the court requested the Australian Federal Police to forthwith remove the names of B and S from the Airport Watch List at all points of international travel in Australia, with the orders intended to be effective immediately to permit S to leave Australia.