Bondelmonte v Bondelmonte

Family law – Family Law Act 1975 (Cth) – Parenting orders – Where children taken overseas by father – Where children stayed with father overseas in breach of parenting orders – Where mother applied for order for return of children – Where children expressed preference to stay with father overseas – Where primary judge made interim orders for return of children to Australia and for living arrangements upon return – Whether erroneous to discount weight given to views expressed by children – Whether father's breach of parenting orders relevant to children's best interests – Whether necessary to ascertain children's views as to living arrangements – Whether parenting orders could be made in favour of strangers to proceedings.

Words and phrases – "best interests of the child", "judicial discretion", "parenting orders", "views expressed by the child".

Family Law Act 1975 (Cth) – ss 60CA, 60CC, 60CD, 60CE, 64C, 65C, 65D, 68L, 68LA.