Tasmanian Consolidated Acts

ADOPTION ACT 1988 - SECT 90

      (1) The Secretary and the principal officer of an approved agency shall each establish and maintain an Adoption Information Register.

      (2) As soon as practicable after making an entry in an Adoption Information Register, the principal officer of an approved agency shall forward to the Secretary a copy of the particulars relating to each person in respect of whom the entry is made and the Secretary shall enter those particulars in the Adoption Information Register maintained by him.

      (3) There shall be entered in each Adoption Information Register –

(a) the names and addresses of persons, including –

(i) adopted persons; and

(ii) natural relatives of adopted persons; and

(iii) natural parents of adopted persons; and

(iv) adoptive parents of adopted persons –

who have, in writing, applied to the Secretary or the principal officer of the appropriate approved agency to enter their names and addresses in that Register; and

(b) in relation to each person so registered, the wishes of the person in relation to –

(i) obtaining information about, or meeting or providing information to; and

(ii) whether or not to release the name and address of, or any information about, the person to; and

(iii) being contacted by –

another person whose name is, or may at any time be, entered in that Register; and

(c) on behalf of any person whose name is entered in the Register, a contact veto specifying any person or class of persons by whom the registered person does not wish to be contacted.

      (3A) Any wish not to be contacted or met by any person or class of persons made under subsection (3)(b), before or after the commencement of section 10 of the Adoption Amendment Act 1998, by a person whose name is entered in an Adoption Information Register is taken to be a contact veto.

      (4) The name and address of a person whose name is entered in an Adoption Information Register shall not be disclosed to any person except in accordance with this Act, unless the person has given consent in writing to the disclosure of his name and address.

      (5) The Secretary shall from time to time –

(a) give public notification of the establishment of each Adoption Information Register; and

(b) invite adopted persons, natural parents, natural relatives and adoptive parents to record their wishes in relation to obtaining information about, being contacted by or meeting or providing information to, another person whose name is, or may at any time be, entered in an Adoption Information Register.

      (6) A person who is required to maintain an Adoption Information Register under this section shall, on application by a person whose name is entered in that Register, amend or cancel the entry relating to that person.