CHILD CARE ACT 1972

This compilation was prepared on 3 October 2006
taking into account amendments up to Act No. 108 of 2006

The text of any of those amendments not in force
on that date is appended in the Notes section

Prepared by the Office of Legislative Drafting and Publishing,
Attorney‑General's Department, Canberra

Contents

Part I--Preliminary 1

1............ Short title [see Note 1] ....................................................................... 1

2............ Commencement [see Note 1] .............................................................. 1

4............ Interpretation ...................................................................................... 1

4A......... Child care centres ................................................................................ 2

4B......... Eligible child care centres .................................................................... 3

4C......... Guidelines for eligible child care centres ............................................. 4

Part II--Capital grants 5

Division 1--Approved projects 5

5............ Interpretation of Division 1 ................................................................ 5

6............ Approval of projects .......................................................................... 6

7............ Grants for approved projects ............................................................. 6

Division 2--Approved equipment 7

8............ Interpretation of Division 2 ................................................................ 7

9............ Approval of equipment ...................................................................... 7

10.......... Grants for approved equipment ......................................................... 7

Part III--Recurrent grants 8

Division 1--Grants for new eligible child care centres 8

12.......... Grants in relation to establishment of new eligible child care centres 8

Part IIIA--Confidentiality 9

12J........ Authorised access to and use of protected information ..................... 9

12K....... Offence--unauthorised access to protected information ................... 9

12L........ Offence--unauthorised use of protected information ...................... 10

12M...... Protection extends to court, tribunal etc. proceedings ...................... 10

12N....... Secretary's certificate ....................................................................... 11

12P........ Guidelines for exercise of Secretary's disclosure power .................. 11

12Q....... Offence--soliciting disclosure of protected information .................. 12

12R....... Offence--untrue representations ..................................................... 12

12S........ Offences--offering to supply protected information ...................... 12

12T....... Freedom of Information Act not affected ......................................... 13

12U....... Application of the Criminal Code .................................................... 13

12V....... Crown not liable to be prosecuted for offences ................................ 13

Part IV--Research grants 14

13.......... Grants for research etc. ..................................................................... 14

Part IVA--Grants in respect of the development of child care centres 15

13A....... Interpretation .................................................................................... 15

13B....... Approval of projects related to the development of child care centres 15

13C....... Grants for projects related to the development of child care centres 15

Part V--Advisory committees 16

Division 1--Establishment of committees 16

14.......... Child Care Standards Committee ...................................................... 16

15.......... Convenor of Child Care Standards Committee ................................. 16

16.......... Other committees ............................................................................. 16

Division 2--General 17

17.......... Definition of committee .................................................................... 17

18.......... Appointment of members of committees ......................................... 17

19.......... Remuneration and allowances of members of committees ............... 17

Part VI--Miscellaneous 18

20.......... Conditions relating to grants ............................................................. 18

20A....... Agreements may be entered into with transferees of land etc. ......... 19

20B....... Overpayments .................................................................................. 19

21.......... Delegations by the Minister ............................................................. 20

22.......... Approvals and determinations to be in writing ................................ 20

22A....... Exercise of powers in Minister's discretion ..................................... 20

23.......... Manner of payment of grants ........................................................... 20

24.......... Money to be appropriated ............................................................... 20

25.......... Regulations ....................................................................................... 20

Notes 23

Notes to the Child Care Act 1972

Note 1

The Child Care Act 1972 as shown in this compilation comprises Act No. 121, 1972 amended as indicated in the Tables below.

The Child Care Act 1972 was modified by the A.C.T. Self‑Government (Consequential Provisions) Regulations (1989 No. 3 as amended). The modifications were repealed by the Community Services and Health Legislation Amendment Act 1990 (No. 106, 1990).

All relevant information pertaining to application, saving or transitional provisions prior to 8 July 1999 is not included in this compilation. For subsequent information see Table A.

Table of Acts

Act	Number and year	Date of Assent	Date of commencement	Application, saving or transitional provisions
Child Care Act 1972	121, 1972	2 Nov 1972	2 Nov 1972
Statute Law Revision Act 1973	216, 1973	19 Dec 1973	31 Dec 1973	Ss. 9(1) and 10
Administrative Changes (Consequential Provisions) Act 1976	91, 1976	20 Sept 1976	S. 3: (a)	S. 4
Public Service Reform Act 1984	63, 1984	25 June 1984	S. 151(1): 1 July 1984 (see Gazette 1984, No. S245) (b)	S.151(9)
Social Security and Repatriation Legislation Amendment Act 1985	95, 1985	5 Sept 1985	Ss. 13-26 and 28-30: Royal Assent (c) S. 27: 3 Oct 1985 (c)	S. 30
Child Care Amendment Act 1985	158, 1985	11 Dec 1985	1 Apr 1986	S. 7
Community Services and Health Legislation Amendment Act (No. 2) 1988	155, 1988	26 Dec 1988	S. 10: 1 Jan 1989 Ss. 12 and 13: 1 July 1989 (see Gazette 1989, No. S228) Ss. 14 and 17: 1 July 1988 Ss. 19-26 and 28-34: 24 Jan 1990 (see Gazette 1990, No. S13) Ss. 27 and 36: 15 Mar 1989 (see Gazette 1989, No. S91) Part V (ss. 38-40): 24 June 1988 S. 41(2): 16 Dec 1987 S. 41(3): 6 Nov 1987 S. 41(4): 1 Mar 1989 (see s. 2(8) and Gazette 1989, No. S54) Remainder: Royal Assent	--
Community Services and Health Legislation Amendment Act 1990	106, 1990	18 Dec 1990	S. 3: Royal Assent (d) Ss. 4‑11: 1 Jan 1991 (d)	S. 8(2)
Social Security Legislation Amendment (Carer Pension and Other Measures) Act 1995	143, 1995	12 Dec 1995	Schedule 2 (Part 1): 1 Jan 1996 (e)	--
Child Care Legislation Amendment Act 1996	80, 1996	19 Dec 1996	Schedule 1: 1 July 1997 Remainder: Royal Assent	--
Child Care Payments (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Act 1997	196, 1997	8 Dec 1997	Schedule 1 (items 1-7): (f)	--
as amended by
Child Care Legislation Amendment Act 1998	13, 1998	16 Apr 1998	Schedule 1 (items 19-24): 27 Apr 1998 (see Gazette 1998, No. S167) (fa)	--
A New Tax System (Family Assistance) (Consequential and Related Measures) Act (No. 1) 1999	82, 1999	8 July 1999	Schedule 2 (item 2): (fb)	--
Child Care Legislation Amendment Act 1998	13, 1998	16 Apr 1998	Schedule 1 (items 1-15): 27 Apr 1998 (see Gazette 1998, No. S167) (g)	--
A New Tax System (Family Assistance) (Consequential and Related Measures) Act (No. 1) 1999	82, 1999	8 July 1999	S. 4: Royal Assent (h) Schedule 2 (items 4, 5): (h) Schedule 3: (h)	S. 4 (am. by 83, 1999, Sch. 11 (item 1)) S. 5 (ad. by 83, 1999, Sch. 11 (item 2)) [see Table A]
as amended by
A New Tax System (Family Assistance) (Consequential and Related Measures) Act (No. 2) 1999	83, 1999	8 July 1999	Schedule 11 (item 1): (i) Schedule 11 (item 2): (i)	S. 2(9) (rs. by 172, 1999, Sch. 2 (item 3))
Family and Community Services Legislation Amendment (1999 Budget and Other Measures) Act 1999	172, 1999	10 Dec 1999	Schedule 2 (item 3): (j)	--
A New Tax System (Family Assistance) (Consequential and Related Measures) Act (No. 2) 1999	83, 1999	8 July 1999	Schedule 3 (k)	--
Social Security and Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Miscellaneous Measures) Act 2006	108, 2006	27 Sept 2006	Schedule 8 (items 76-81): Royal Assent	--

(a) The Child Care Act 1972 was amended by section 3 only of the Administrative Changes (Consequential Provisions) Act 1976, subsection 2(3) of which provides as follows:

(3) The amendments of the Child Care Act 1972 made by this Act shall be deemed to have come into operation on 23 June 1976.

(b) The Child Care Act 1972 was amended by subsection 151(1) only of the Public Service Reform Act 1984, subsection 2(4) of which provides as follows:

(4) The remaining provisions of this Act shall come into operation on such day as is, or on such respective days as are, fixed by Proclamation.

(c) The Child Care Act 1972 was amended by sections 13-30 only of the Social Security and Repatriation Legislation Amendment Act 1985, subsections 2(1) and (2) of which provide as follows:

(1) Subject to this section, this Act shall come into operation on the day on which it receives the Royal Assent.

(2) Section 27 shall come into operation on the twenty‑eighth day after the day on which this Act receives the Royal Assent.

(d) The Child Care Act 1972 was amended by sections 3-11 only of the Community Services and Health Legislation Amendment Act 1990, section 2 of which provides as follows:

2. Each provision of this Act commences, or is taken to have commenced, on the day, or at the time, shown by the note in italics at the foot of that provision.

(e) The Child Care Act 1972 was amended by Schedule 2 (Part 1) only of the Social Security Legislation Amendment (Carer Pension and Other Measures) Act 1995, subsection 2(3)(a) of which provides as follows:

(3) The following provisions commence on 1 January 1996:

(a) Parts 1 and 3 of Schedule 2;

(f) The Child Care Payments (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Act 1997 (as amended by the Child Care Legislation Amendment Act 1998) was repealed by Schedule 2 (item 2) of the A New Tax System (Family Assistance) (Consequential and Related Measures) Act (No. 1) 1999 before the amendments commenced.

(fa) The Child Care Payments (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Act 1997 was amended by Schedule 1 (items 19-24) only of the Child Care Legislation Amendment Act 1998, subsection 2(2) of which provides as follows:

(2) Subject to subsection (3), the remaining provisions of this Act commence on a day to be fixed by Proclamation.

(fb) The Child Care Payments (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Act 1997 was amended by Schedule 2 (item 2) only of the A New Tax System (Family Assistance) (Consequential and Related Measures) Act (No. 1) 1999, subsection 2(3) of which provides as follows:

(3) Items 1, 2, 4 and 5 of Schedule 2 commence immediately before the day that is the payment commencement day for the purposes of the Child Care Payments Act 1997.

The payment commencement day was 19 June 2000.

(g) The Child Care Act 1972 was amended by Schedule 2 (items 1-15) only of the Child Care Legislation Amendment Act 1998, subsection 2(2) of which provides as follows:

(2) Subject to subsection (3), the remaining provisions of this Act commence on a day to be fixed by Proclamation.

(h) The Child Care Act 1972 was amended by Schedule 2 (items 4, 5) and Schedule 3 only of the A New Tax System (Family Assistance) (Consequential and Related Measures) Act (No. 1) 1999, subsections 2(1)‑(3) of which provide as follows:

(1) Subject to this section, this Act commences on the day on which it receives the Royal Assent.

(2) Schedule 1, item 3 of Schedule 2 and Schedules 3 to 8 commence, or are taken to have commenced, immediately after the commencement of:

(a) the A New Tax System (Family Assistance) Act 1999; and

(b) Schedules 1, 2 and 3 of the A New Tax System (Compensation Measures Legislation Amendment) Act 1999.

(3) Items 1, 2, 4 and 5 of Schedule 2 commence immediately before the day that is the payment commencement day for the purposes of the Child Care Payments Act 1997.

The payment commencement day was 19 June 2000.

The A New Tax System (Family Assistance) Act 1999 and the A New Tax System (Compensation Measures Legislation Amendment) Act 1999 commenced on 1 July 2000.

(i) The A New Tax System (Family Assistance) (Consequential and Related Measures) Act (No 1) 1999 was amended by Schedule 11 (items 1 and 2) only of the A New Tax System (Family Assistance) (Consequential and Related Measures) Act (No. 2) 1999, subsections 2(8) and (9) of which provide as follows:

(8) Item 1 of Schedule 11 commences, or is taken to have commenced, immediately after the commencement of section 4 of the A New Tax System (Family Assistance) (Consequential and Related Measures) Act (No. 1) 1999.

(9) Item 2 of Schedule 11 commences on the earlier of:

(a) immediately after the commencement of section 2 of the Family and Community Services Legislation Amendment (1999 Budget and Other Measures) Act 1999; or

(b) 1 January 2000.

Section 4 of the A New Tax System (Family Assistance) (Consequential and Related Measures) Act (No. 1) 1999 commenced on 8 July 1999.

(j) The A New Tax System (Family Assistance) (Consequential and Related Measures) Act (No. 2) 1999 was amended by Schedule 2 (item 3) only of the Family and Community Services Legislation Amendment (1999 Budget and Other Measures) Act 1999, subsection 2(4) of which provides as follows:

(4) Schedule 2 commences, or is taken to have commenced, immediately after the commencement of section 2 of the A New Tax System (Family Assistance) (Consequential and Related Measures) Act (No. 2) 1999.

Section 2 commenced on 8 July 1999

(k) The Child Care Act 1972 was amended by Schedule 3 only of the A New Tax System (Family Assistance) (Consequential and Related Measures) Act (No. 2) 1999, subsection 2(2) of which provides as follows:

(2) Schedule 1 (Parts 1 to 5), Schedules 3 to 6, Schedule 7 (other than item 14), Schedules 8 and 9, Schedule 10 (other than items 22, 63, 66 and 67) and Schedule 11 (items 3 and 4 only) commence, or are taken to have commenced, on the commencement of Schedule 1 to the A New Tax System (Family Assistance) (Consequential and Related Measures) Act (No. 1) 1999.

The A New Tax System (Family Assistance) (Consequential and Related Measures) Act (No. 1) 1999 commenced on 1 July 2000.

Table of Amendments

ad. = added or inserted am. = amended rep. = repealed rs. = repealed and substituted
Provision affected	How affected
Title .....................................	rs. No. 95, 1985
	am. No. 106, 1990
Part I
S. 3 .....................................	rep. No. 216, 1973
S. 4 .....................................	am. No. 216, 1973; No. 95, 1985; No. 106, 1990; No. 143, 1995; No. 13, 1998; Nos. 82 and 83, 1999
S. 4A...................................	ad. No. 106, 1990
S. 4B...................................	ad. No. 106, 1990
	am. No. 13, 1998; No. 82, 1999
S. 4C...................................	ad. No. 106, 1990
	am. No. 13, 1998; No. 82, 1999; No. 108, 2006
Ss. 4D‑4G...........................	ad. No. 13, 1998
	rep. No. 82, 1999
S. 4H...................................	ad. No. 82, 1999
	rep. No. 82, 1999
Part II
Division 1
Ss. 5-7 ...............................	am. No. 95, 1985; No. 106, 1990
Division 2
Ss. 8, 9 ...............................	rs. No. 95, 1985
	am. No. 106, 1990
S. 10 ...................................	am. No. 95, 1985; No. 106, 1990
S. 11 ...................................	am. No. 95, 1985
	rs. No. 158, 1985
	am. No. 106, 1990
	rep. No. 80, 1996
Part III
Division 1
Heading to Div. 1 of Part III..	ad. No. 13, 1998
	rs. No. 82, 1999
S. 12 ...................................	rs. No. 95, 1985
	am. No. 106, 1990
S. 12A ................................	ad. No. 95, 1985
	am. No. 106, 1990; No. 13, 1998
	rep. No. 82, 1999
Heading to Div. 2 of Part III..	ad. No. 13, 1998
	rep. No. 82, 1999
Division 2 of Part III..............	rep. No. 82, 1999
Ss. 12B‑12E .......................	ad. No. 143, 1995
	rep. No. 82, 1999
Division 3 of Part III..............	ad. No. 13, 1998
	rep. No. 82, 1999
S. 12F..................................	ad. No. 13, 1998
	rep. No. 82, 1999
Division 4 of Part III..............	ad. No. 13, 1998
	rep. No. 82, 1999
Ss. 12G, 12H.......................	ad. No. 13, 1998
	rep. No. 82, 1999
Part IIIA
Part IIIA................................	ad. No. 13, 1998
S. 12J..................................	ad. No. 13, 1998
S. 12K-12N.........................	ad. No. 13, 1998
	am. No. 83, 1999
S. 12P..................................	ad. No. 13, 1998
	am. No. 108, 2006
Ss. 12Q, 12R.......................	ad. No. 13, 1998
S. 12S.................................	ad. No. 13, 1998
	am. No. 83, 1999
Ss. 12T-12V.......................	ad. No. 13, 1998
S. 13 ...................................	am. No. 95, 1985; No. 106, 1990
Part IVA
Part IVA ..............................	ad. No. 95, 1985
Ss. 13A-13C ......................	ad. No. 95, 1985
	am. No. 106, 1990
Part V
Division 1
S. 14 ...................................	am. No. 95, 1985; No. 106, 1990
S. 15 ...................................	rs. No. 95, 1985
S. 16 ...................................	am. No. 95, 1985
Division 2
S. 18 ...................................	am. No. 95, 1985
S. 19 ...................................	rs. No. 95, 1985
	am. No. 106, 1990
Part VI
S. 20 ...................................	am. Nos. 95 and 158, 1985; No. 106, 1990; No. 80, 1996
S. 20A ................................	ad. No. 95, 1985
	rs. No. 106, 1990
S. 20B ................................	ad. No. 158, 1985
	am. No. 106, 1990
S. 21 ...................................	am. No. 216, 1973; No. 91, 1976; No. 63, 1984; No. 95, 1985; No. 155, 1988; No. 106, 1990; No. 13, 1998; No. 82, 1999
S. 21A.................................	ad. No. 13, 1998
	rep. No. 82, 1999
S. 22 ...................................	rs. No. 106, 1990
S. 22A ................................	ad. No. 106, 1990
S. 23 ...................................	am. No. 106, 1990
S. 24 ...................................	rs. No. 95, 1985
	am. No. 158, 1985; No. 80, 1996

Commonwealth Consolidated Acts

CHILD CARE ACT 1972 - NOTES