Northern Territory Consolidated Acts

BIRTHS, DEATHS AND MARRIAGES REGISTRATION ACT - SECT 42

(1) The Registrar may, on application, search the Register for an entry about a particular registrable event.

(2) The applicant shall state the reason for the applicant's interest in the subject-matter of the search.

(3) The Registrar may reject the application if the applicant does not show an adequate reason for wanting the information to which the application relates.

(4) In deciding whether an applicant has an adequate reason for wanting information, the Registrar shall have regard to -

(a) the relationship (if any) between the applicant and the person to whom the information relates;

(b) the age of the entry;

(c) the contents of the entry; and

(d) other relevant factors.

(5) Subject to a direction of the Minister under section 5, nothing in this Act prevents the Registrar from providing a person, subject to such conditions as the Registrar thinks fit, with information contained in the Register for a purpose relating to -

(a) the keeping of statistics;

(b) medical or epidemiological research;

(c) the identification of persons; or

(d) the prevention of fraud.

(6) For the purposes of subsection (3), but subject to subsection (7), a person has an adequate reason for a search to be made of the Register if the person, in respect of whom information is sought to be obtained as a consequence of the search, is -

(a) the adopted child;

(b) the natural parent or grandparent; or

(c) the adoptive parent,

of the person requiring the search.

(7) Subsection (6) does not apply where -

(a) a notice of prohibition has been lodged under section 65(2) of the Adoption of Children Act ; or

(b) a notice, similar to a notice of prohibition referred to in paragraph (a), has been lodged under a law of a State or another Territory of the Commonwealth,

prohibiting the provision of information that would identify the person in respect of whom information is sought under subsection (6).