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BIRTHS, DEATHS AND MARRIAGES REGISTRATION ACT 1996 - SECT 4 Definitions

BIRTHS, DEATHS AND MARRIAGES REGISTRATION ACT 1996 - SECT 4

Definitions

    (1)     In this Act—

S. 4(1) def. of acknowledge-ment of sex application inserted by No. 25/2019 s. 5(d).

"acknowledgement of sex application" means an application by or on behalf of a restricted person under section 30A, 30B, 30E or  30EA;

"adult" means a person who—

        (a)     is 18 years of age or more; or

        (b)     although under 18 years of age, is or has been married;

S. 4(1) def. of approval inserted by No. 25/2019 s. 5(d).

"approval" means a decision approving the making of an acknowledgement of sex application given by—

        (a)     the Secretary under section 488Q of the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005 ; or

        (b)     the Secretary under section 47P of the Corrections Act 1986 ; or

        (c)     the Adult Parole Board under section 79HD of the Corrections Act   1986 ; or

        (d)     the Post Sentence Authority under section 265D of the Serious Offenders Act 2018 ; or

        (e)     the Chief Commissioner of Police under section 70S of the Sex Offenders Registration Act 2004 ;

"birth" includes still-birth;

"birth registration statement" means a statement required to be lodged with the Registrar under section 14;

"change", in relation to a name, includes an addition, omission or substitution;

S. 4(1) def. of child inserted by No. 36/2004 s. 16.

"child" means a person under 18 years of age;

"corresponding law" means a law of another State that—

        (a)     provides for the registration of births, deaths and marriages; and

        (b)     has been declared to be a corresponding law for the purposes of this Act by an Order made under subsection (2);

S. 4(1) def. of Council inserted by No. 36/2004 s. 16, substituted by No. 46/2008 s. 247(1).

"Council" means CCOPMM within the meaning of section 3(1) of the Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008 ;

"Court" means the County Court;

"death" does not include a still-birth;

"disposal" of human remains means—

        (a)     cremation of the remains; or

        (b)     burial of the remains (including burial at sea); or

        (c)     placing the remains in a mausoleum or other permanent resting place; or

        (d)     placing the remains in the custody of an educational or scientific institution for the purpose of medical education or research; or

        (e)     removal of the remains from the State (but not if the remains have been cremated or are taken from the State by sea and buried at sea in the course of the voyage);

S. 4(1) def. of doctor amended by No. 97/2005 s. 182(Sch. 4 item 5), substituted by No. 13/2010 s. 34(a).

"doctor" means a person registered under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law to practise in the medical profession (other than as a student);

"funeral director" means a person who carries on the business of arranging for the disposal of human remains;

S. 4(1) def. of Institute inserted by No. 36/2004 s. 16, amended by No. 77/2008 s. 129(Sch.  2 item 3.1(a)).

"Institute" has the same meaning as in section 3(1) of the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine Act 1985 ;

S. 4(1) def. of integrated birth certificate inserted by No. 20/2022 s. 42.

"integrated birth certificate" means a certificate referred to in section 46A(1);

S. 4(1) def. of interstate recognition certificate inserted by No. 29/2004 s. 4, substituted by No. 25/2019 s. 5(a).

"interstate recognition certificate "means a current certificate identifying a person as being of a particular sex that is issued under a law of another State that relates to the recognition of a person's sex;

S. 4(1) def. of Justice Secretary inserted by No. 25/2019 s. 5(d).

"Justice Secretary "means the Secretary to the Department of Justice and Community Safety;

S. 4(1) def. of midwife inserted by No. 13/2010 s. 34(b).

"midwife "means a person registered under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law—

        (a)     to practise in the nursing and midwifery profession as a midwife (other than as a student); and

        (b)     in the register of midwives kept for that profession;

S. 4(1) def. of neonatal death inserted by No. 36/2004 s. 16.

"neonatal death" means the death of a live-born child within 28 days after the birth;

S. 4(1) def. of parent inserted by No. 76/2008 s. 150(1).

"parent" means a person who is presumed under the Status of Children Act 1974 to be the mother, father or parent of a child;

S. 4(1) def. of partner inserted by No. 76/2008 s. 150(1).

"partner", in relation to a person, means—

        (a)     the person's spouse; or

        (b)     a person who lives with the first person as a couple on a genuine domestic basis;

"perinatal death" means—

        (a)     the death of a live-born child within 28 days after the birth; or

        (b)     a still-birth;

"prohibited name" means a name that—

        (a)     is obscene or offensive; or

        (b)     could not practicably be established by repute or usage—

              (i)     because it is too long; or

              (ii)     because it consists of or includes symbols without phonetic significance; or

              (iii)     for some other reason; or

        (c)     is contrary to the public interest for some other reason;

S. 4(1) def. of prohibited sex descriptor inserted by No. 25/2019 s. 5(d).

"prohibited sex descriptor" means a sex descriptor

        (a)     that is obscene or offensive; or

        (b)     that could not practicably be established by repute or usage—

              (i)     because it is too long; or

              (ii)     because it consists of or includes symbols without phonetic significance; or

              (iii)     for some other reason;

S. 4(1) def. of registrable event amended by No. 76/2008 s. 150(2), substituted by No. 25/2019 s. 5(b).

"registrable event" means—

        (a)     a birth; or

        (b)     a change of name; or

        (c)     an alteration of the record of sex in a birth registration; or

        (d)     a death; or

        (e)     a marriage; or

        (f)     an adoption; or

        (g)     a surrogacy arrangement;

"registrable information" means information that must or may be included in the Register;

"Register" means the Register established under Part 7;

"registering authority" means an authority responsible under a corresponding law for the registration of births, deaths and marriages;

"Registrar" means the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages;

S. 4(1) def. of restricted person inserted by No. 25/2019 s. 5(d).

"restricted person" means a person who is—

        (a)     a detainee within the meaning of section 482A of the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005 ; or

        (b)     a prisoner within the meaning of section 3(1) of the Corrections Act 1986 ; or

        (c)     a prisoner on parole within the meaning of section 79HA of the Corrections Act 1986 ; or

        (d)     an offender within the meaning of section 265A of the Serious Offenders Act 2018 ; or

        (e)     a registrable offender within the meaning of section 3(1) of the Sex Offenders Registration Act 2004 ;

S. 4(1) def. of reviewable death inserted by No. 36/2004 s. 16, substituted by No. 77/2008 s. 129(Sch. 2 item 3.1(b)).

"reviewable death" has the same meaning as in section 5 of the Coroners Act 2008 ;

S. 4(1) def. of Secretary to the Department of Health inserted by No. 29/2010 s. 47(1).

"Secretary to the Department of Health" means the Department Head (within the meaning of the Public Administration Act 2004 ) of the Department of Health;

S. 4(1) def. of sex affirmation surgery inserted by No. 29/2004 s. 4, amended by No. 25/2019 s. 5(c).

"sex affirmation surgery" means a surgical procedure involving the alteration of a person's reproductive organs carried out for the purpose of assisting the person to be considered to be a member of a particular sex;

S. 4(1) def. of sex descriptor inserted by No. 25/2019 s. 5(d).

"sex descriptor" includes—

        (a)     male; or

        (b)     female; or

        (c)     any other sex;

S. 4(1) def. of sibling inserted by No. 36/2004 s. 16, amended by No. 77/2008 s. 129(Sch.  2 item 3.1(c)).

"sibling" has the same meaning as in section 3(1) of the Coroners Act 2008 ;

"State" includes a Territory;

"still-birth" means the birth of a still-born child;

"still-born child" means a child of at least 20 weeks' gestation or, if it cannot be reliably established whether the period of gestation is more or less than 20 weeks, with a body mass of at least 400 grams at birth, that exhibits no sign of respiration or heartbeat, or other sign of life, after birth;

S. 4(1) def. of surrogacy arrangement inserted by No. 76/2008 s. 150(1).

surrogacy arrangement has the meaning given by the Assisted Reproductive Treatment Act 2008 ;

S. 4(1) def. of surrogate mother inserted by No. 76/2008 s. 150(1).

"surrogate mother" means a woman who gives birth to a child pursuant to a surrogacy arrangement;

S. 4(1) def. of Tribunal repealed by No. 52/1998

s. 311(Sch. 1 item 9.1).

    *     *     *     *     *

S. 4(1) def. of VARTA inserted by No. 6/2016 s. 38, amended by No. 25/2019 s. 20.

"VARTA" means the Victorian Assisted Reproductive Treatment Authority established under Part 10 of the Assisted Reproductive Treatment Act 2008 .

    (2)     The Governor in Council, by Order published in the Government Gazette, may declare a law of another State to be a corresponding law for the purposes of this Act.

    (3)     The Governor in Council, by Order published in the Government Gazette, may revoke or vary an Order made under subsection (2).

Part 2—Administration

Division 1—The Registrar

S. 5

amended by Nos 46/1998 s. 7(Sch. 1), 108/2004 s. 117(1) (Sch.  3 item 19), 12/2008 s. 73(1)(Sch.  1 item 4.1).