The Supreme Court's parens patriae jurisdiction should not be invoked to bypass the statutory appeal from the Children's Court to the District Court under s 91 of the Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998 (NSW) except in the most extraordinary circumstances. Delay in the District Court alone does not constitute such exceptional circumstances. In wardship proceedings, the Court cannot compel a party to procure and tender expert evidence on matters specified by an opposing party.
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