Commonwealth Consolidated Acts

CHILD CARE ACT 1972 - SECT 4

             (1)  In this Act, unless the contrary intention appears:

"body" includes an association and society.

"building" includes a part of a building and an addition to a building and, in Part VI, includes any other improvement on land.

"child care" means the care of children at a time or times when they are not being cared for in their own homes or in the homes of other persons.

"child care centre" has the meaning given by section 4A.

"Child Care Standards Committee" means the committee established under section 14.

"eligible child care centre" has the meaning given by section 4B.

"family assistance law" means any one or more of the following:

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

                     (b)  the A New Tax System (Family Assistance) (Administration) Act 1999 ;

                     (c)  regulations under the A New Tax System (Family Assistance) (Administration) Act 1999 .

"home" does not include an orphanage or like institution.

"information" includes estimates.

"officer" means a person performing duties, or exercising powers or functions, under or in relation to this Act and, in relation to a provision of Part IIIA, includes:

                     (a)  a person who has been such a person; and

                     (b)  a person who is or has been appointed or employed by the Commonwealth and who, as a result of that appointment or employment, may acquire or has acquired information about a person under this Act; and

                     (c)  a person who, although not appointed or employed by the Commonwealth, performs or performed services for the Commonwealth and who, as a result of performing those services, may acquire or has acquired information about a person under this Act.

"operator" , in relation to an eligible child care centre, means the person or body operating, or proposing to operate, the centre.

"place" includes a proposed place.

"protected information" means:

                     (a)  information about a person or a child care service that is or was held in the records of the Department; or

                     (b)  information that there is no information about a person or a child care service held in such records.

             (2)  For the purposes of this Act, a thing is taken to be done or required for a permitted purpose if it is done or required:

                     (a)  for the purposes of this Act; or

                     (b)  for the purposes of a family assistance law;