New South Wales Consolidated Regulations

ADOPTION REGULATION 2003 - REG 52

52 General guidelines under section 142 for release of birth certificate and prescribed information

(1) An information source is to comply with the following guidelines in connection with the supply of any birth certificates or prescribed information under the Act:

(a) the information source must make reasonable inquiries to confirm the applicant’s identity and relationship to the person to whom the information relates,

(b) the information source must not supply confidential information unless the information source has obtained and taken into account the advice of the Director-General as to whether the information should be supplied and as to the provision of appropriate counselling for the person to whom it is supplied,

(c) the information source must not supply confidential information about a birth parent whose name is entered in the Reunion and Information Register unless the information source has taken such action as is reasonable in the circumstances to ascertain whether the birth parent wishes to supply the information personally.

(2) In this clause:
"confidential information" means:

(a) information indicating that an adopted person was conceived as a result of incest or the sexual assault of his or her birth mother, and

(b) information indicating that an adopted person has an hereditary condition seriously affecting the current, or that could seriously affect the future, physical or mental health of the adopted person or any descendant of the adopted person.