• Specific Year
    Any

STATUS OF CHILDREN ACT 1974

Table of Provisions

PART I--PRELIMINARY

  • 1 Short title and commencement  
  • 2 Definitions  
  • 3 All children to be of equal status  
  • 4 Instruments executed before commencement  
  • 5 Presumptions as to parenthood  
  • 6 Protection of executors, administrators and trustees  
  • 7 Recognition of paternity  
  • 8 Evidence of parentage  
  • 9 Instruments may be filed with Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages  
  • 10 Application to Supreme Court for declaration of parentage  

PART II--STATUS OF CHILDREN--MEDICAL PROCEDURES--WOMEN WITH A MALE PARTNER

  • 10A Interpretation  
  • 10B Application of Part  
  • 10C Artificial insemination: presumption as to status of child  
  • 10D Implantation procedures: presumption as to status of child where donor semen used  
  • 10E Implantation procedures: presumption as to status of child where donor ovum used  

PART III--STATUS OF CHILDREN--MEDICAL PROCEDURES--WOMEN WITH A FEMALE PARTNER OR WITHOUT A PARTNER

  • 11 Interpretation  
  • 12 Application of Part  
  • 13 Women with a female partner: presumption as to status of child  
  • 14 Women with a female partner: presumption as to status of child where donor ovum used  
  • 15 Women with no partner: presumption as to status of child  
  • 16 Women with no partner: presumption as to status of child where donor ovum used  

PART IV--STATUS OF CHILDREN IN SURROGACY ARRANGEMENTS

Division 1--Preliminary

  • 17 Interpretation  
  • 18 Jurisdiction of courts  
  • 19 Surrogacy arrangements—presumption as to status of child  

Division 2--Substitute parentage orders

Subdivision 1--Making substitute parentage orders
  • 20 Application for a substitute parentage order  
  • 22 Court may make substitute parentage order  
  • 22A Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages must notify Australian State or Territory registering authority of orders  
  • 23 Additional requirements for surrogacy arrangements without assistance of registered ART provider  
  • 24 Circumstances in which consent not required  
  • 25 Ancillary orders  
  • 26 Effect of substitute parentage order  
  • Subdivision 2--Discharge of substitute parentage orders
  • 27 Who may apply for discharge of substitute parentage order  
  • 28 Court may order discharge of substitute parentage order  
  • 29 Effect of discharge of a substitute parentage order  

Division 2A--Registration orders

  • 29A What is a registration order?  
  • 29B Application for a registration order  
  • 29C Applicant must give notice of hearing  
  • 29D Secretary of the Department of Justice has standing to appear at hearing  
  • 29E Court may make registration order  
  • 29F Circumstances in which consent to registration order not required  
  • 29G Application to revoke registration order  
  • 29H Court may revoke registration order  
  • 29I Notification of discharged corresponding surrogacy parentage order  

Division 2B--Appeals

  • 30 Appeals  

Division 3--Proceedings under this Part

  • 31 Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages to receive copy of orders  
  • 32 Proceedings to be heard in closed court  
  • 33 Restrictions on publication of proceedings  
  • 34 Access to court records  
  • 35 Access to court records if person deceased or cannot be found  

PART V--POSTHUMOUS USE OF GAMETES--STATUS OF CHILDREN

  • 36 Definitions  
  • 37 Presumption as to status of child if male partner is deceased  
  • 38 Presumption as to status of child if female partner is deceased  
  • 39 Presumption as to status of child if female partner is deceased—surrogacy arrangements  
  • 39A Presumption as to status of child if male partner is deceased—surrogacy arrangements  
  • 40 Legal status of deceased parent  

PART VI--GENERAL

  • 41 Regulations  

PART VII--TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS--ASSISTED REPRODUCTIVE TREATMENT ACT 2008

  • 42 Definition  
  • 43 Transitional—Definitions  
  • 44 Transitional—Repeal of section 10F  
  • 45 Transitional—Application of Part III  
  • 46 Transitional—Application of Part IV  
  • 47 Transitional—Application of Part V  

PART VIII--TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS--JUSTICE LEGISLATION AMENDMENT (SUCCESSION AND SURROGACY) ACT 2014

  • 48 Registration orders—application to surrogacy arrangements before commencement of Part  

PART IX--TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS--ASSISTED REPRODUCTIVE TREATMENT AMENDMENT (CONSENT) ACT 2019

  • 49 Transitional provisions—Assisted Reproductive Treatment Amendment (Consent) Act 2019  
  • ENDNOTES

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