On rehearing under the Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998 s 91, the Supreme Court affirmed the Children's Court's final orders allocating all aspects of parental responsibility for three children to the mother (to the exclusion of the father), with parental responsibility for contact allocated to the Minister until each child turns 18, and continuing s 90A orders prohibiting the father's contact without the Secretary's prior written approval. The Court found no realistic possibility of restoration to the father within a reasonable timeframe, based on his criminal convictions for assaulting two children, his persistent lack of insight into the harm caused by his conduct, his failure to engage meaningfully with therapeutic services, and his hostile and obstructive approach to DCJ and court processes. The Court also declined to vary the s 90A orders to permit even minimal communication (such as emoji responses), holding that any carve-out carried unpredictable risks given the father's demonstrated inability to respect boundaries.
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