Family Law Act 1975

Act No. 53 of 1975 as amended

This compilation was prepared on 17 January 2012

taking into account amendments up to Act No. 189 of 2011

The text of any of those amendments not in force

on that date is appended in the Notes section

The operation of amendments that have been incorporated may be

affected by application provisions that are set out in the Notes section

Prepared by the Office of Legislative Drafting and Publishing,

Attorney-Generals Department, Canberra

Family Law Act 1975 iii

Contents

Part IPreliminary 1 1 Short title [see Note 1] ....................................................................... 1 2 Commencement [see Note 1]............................................................. 1 3 Repeal and saving .............................................................................. 1 4 Interpretation ..................................................................................... 2 4AA De facto relationships ...................................................................... 27 4A Third party proceedings to set aside financial agreement ................ 28 4B Third party proceedings to set aside Part VIIIAB financial

agreement ........................................................................................ 30 5 Debtor subject to a personal insolvency agreement ......................... 32 6 Polygamous marriages ..................................................................... 32 7 Extension of Act to certain Territories ............................................ 32 7A Application of the Criminal Code ................................................... 32 8 Supersession of existing laws .......................................................... 32 9 Transitional ...................................................................................... 33

Part IAProtection of names 36 9A Use of protected names and symbols ............................................... 36

Part IINon-court based family services 38

Division 1Accreditation of family counsellors, family dispute

resolution practitioners and other family service

providers 38 10A Accreditation Rules ......................................................................... 38

Division 2Family counselling 40 10B Definition of family counselling ...................................................... 40 10C Definition of family counsellor ........................................................ 40 10D Confidentiality of communications in family counselling ............... 41 10E Admissibility of communications in family counselling and

in referrals from family counselling ................................................ 42

Division 3Family dispute resolution 44 10F Definition of family dispute resolution ............................................ 44 10G Definition of family dispute resolution practitioner ........................ 44 10H Confidentiality of communications in family dispute

resolution ......................................................................................... 44 10J Admissibility of communications in family dispute

resolution and in referrals from family dispute resolution ............... 46 10K Family dispute resolution practitioners must comply with

regulations ....................................................................................... 47

Division 4Arbitration 48 10L Definition of arbitration .................................................................. 48

iv Family Law Act 1975

10M Definition of arbitrator ................................................................... 48 10N Arbitrators may charge fees for their services ................................. 48 10P Immunity of arbitrators .................................................................... 49

Part IIIFamily consultants 50

Division 1About family consultants 50 11A Functions of family consultants ....................................................... 50 11B Definition of family consultant ........................................................ 50 11C Admissibility of communications with family consultants

and referrals from family consultants .............................................. 51 11D Immunity of family consultants ....................................................... 51

Division 2Courts use of family consultants 52 11E Courts to consider seeking advice from family consultants ............. 52 11F Court may order parties to attend, or arrange for child to

attend, appointments with a family consultant................................. 52 11G Consequences of failure to comply with order under

section 11F ...................................................................................... 53

Part IIIAObligations to inform people about non-court based

family services and about courts processes and

services 55

Division 1Introduction 55 12A Objects of this Part .......................................................................... 55

Division 2Kind of information to be provided 56 12B Prescribed information about non-court based family

services and courts processes and services ..................................... 56 12C Prescribed information about reconciliation .................................... 56 12D Prescribed information about Part VII proceedings ......................... 56

Division 3Who must provide information, and when 57 12E Obligations on legal practitioners .................................................... 57 12F Obligations on principal executive officers of courts ...................... 57 12G Obligations on family counsellors, family dispute resolution

practitioners and arbitrators ............................................................. 58

Part IIIBCourts powers in relation to court and non-court

based family services 59

Division 1Introduction 59 13A Objects of this Part .......................................................................... 59

Division 2Help with reconciliation 60 13B Court to accommodate possible reconciliations............................... 60

Family Law Act 1975 v

Division 3Referrals to family counselling, family dispute

resolution and other family services 61 13C Court may refer parties to family counselling, family dispute

resolution and other family services ................................................ 61 13D Consequences of failure to comply with order under

section 13C ...................................................................................... 62

Division 4Courts role in relation to arbitration of disputes 63 13E Court may refer Part VIII proceedings or Part VIIIAB

proceedings to arbitration ................................................................ 63 13F Court may make orders to facilitate arbitration of certain

disputes ............................................................................................ 63 13G Family Court and Federal Magistrates Court may determine

questions of law referred by arbitrator ............................................. 63 13H Awards made in arbitration may be registered in court ................... 64 13J Family Court or Federal Magistrates Court can review

registered awards ............................................................................. 64 13K Family Court and Federal Magistrates Court may set aside

registered awards ............................................................................. 65

Part IVThe Family Court of Australia 66

Division 1Interpretation 66 20 Interpretation ................................................................................... 66

Division 2The Family Court of Australia 67 21 Creation of Court ............................................................................. 67 21A Divisions of Court ........................................................................... 67 21B Arrangement of business of Court ................................................... 67

Division 3Judges 69 22 Appointment, removal and resignation of Judges ............................ 69 23 Seniority .......................................................................................... 71 24 Absence or illness of Chief Judge.................................................... 73 25 Salary and Allowances .................................................................... 73 26 Oath or affirmation of allegiance and office .................................... 73

Division 4Judicial Registrars 75 26A Judicial Registrars ........................................................................... 75 26B Powers of Judicial Registrars........................................................... 75 26C Review of decisions of Judicial Registrars ...................................... 76 26D Exercise of delegated powers by Court ........................................... 77 26E Application of the Legislative Instruments Act 2003 to rules

of court ............................................................................................ 77 26F Independence of Judicial Registrars ................................................ 78 26G Judicial Registrars hold office on full time or part time basis.......... 78 26H Qualifications for appointment etc. ................................................. 78 26I Term of office .................................................................................. 78

vi Family Law Act 1975

26J Remuneration and allowances ...