Source: http://www.legislation.nsw.gov.au/fullhtml/inforce/act+63+1990+pt.4-sec.30+0+Y
Timestamp: 2013-05-25 01:25:10
Document Index: 658123570

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 2', 'art 2', 'art\n15', 'art 3', 'art 4', 'art 1', 'arts 1', 'art\n2', 'art 2', 'art 3', 'art 3', 'art 2', 'art.11', 'art 2', 'art 3', 'art 4', 'art 4', 'art 4', 'art.31', 'art.32', 'art 5', 'art 4', 'art\n4', 'art 3', 'art 4', 'art 5', 'art 1', 'art 5', 'art 4', 'art 3', 'art 4', 'art 4', 'arts\n1', 'art 2', 'art 4']

Adoption Information Act 1990 No 63
Repealed version for 1 November 2002 to 31 January 2003 (accessed 25 May 2013 at 11:25).
Note:The Act was repealed by the Adoption Act 2000 No 75, sec 209 (1)
(b) with effect from 1.2.2003.
File last modified 4 February 2003.
5 Prescribed information
Part 2 Access to birth certificates and other
6 Adopted person’s rights
7 Adoptive parent’s rights
8 Birth parent’s rights
9 Access to adoption information by relatives and others
after death of adopted person or birth parent
10 Application for supply of birth certificate or prescribed
11 Persons designated to deal with applications
12 Discretion to supply birth certificate or prescribed
12A Discretion to withhold supply (or authorise the
withholding of supply), to supply information or to supply it subject to
13 Guidelines for release of prescribed information
14 Access to court records
15 Unauthorised disclosure of information
Part 2A Advance notice
15A Object of Part
15B Definitions
15C Who may lodge an advance notice request?
15D How advance notice request is lodged
15E Advance Notice Register
15F Primary information source to delay issue of supply
authority or prescribed information
15G Endorsement of details of advance notice
15H Expiration of advance notice registration
15I Arrangements to waive advance notice period
15J Notification to person who lodged advance notice
Part 3 Contact vetoes
16 Adopted person or birth parent may lodge contact
17 Contact veto may be lodged only for adoptions before this
18 How contact veto is lodged
19 Contact Veto Register
20 Director-General to advise primary information
21 Primary information source to endorse details of contact
veto on birth certificate
22 When contact veto takes effect
23 Expiration of contact veto
24 Arrangements to confirm, cancel or vary contact veto at
request of person seeking contact
25 Notification to person who lodged contact veto of request
26 Notification to person affected by contact veto of
27 Undertakings not to contact person who has lodged contact
28 Veto on contact—offences
Part 4 Reunion and Information Register
30 Definition
31 Reunion and Information Register
31A Message may be left
31B Director-General may refuse to enter name or take
31C Circumstances in which Director-General may open, inspect
and copy message
31D Director-General may delay delivery or message
31E Regulations
32 Persons eligible to have their names entered in the
33 Arrangements for reunion of registered persons
34 Location of persons not registered
35 Fees and charges
35A Internal review
36 Decisions that are reviewable by Administrative Decisions
36A Entitlements of disabled persons
37 Manner of giving notice
38 False statement in application etc
39 Impersonation
40 Proceedings for offences
42 Repeal of regulations relating to Adopted Persons Contact
44 Savings, transitional and other provisions
An Act to allow greater access to information relating to
adoptions; and for other related matters.Part 1 Preliminary1 Name of ActThis Act may be cited as the Adoption Information Act
1990.2 Commencement(1) This Act commences on a day or days to be appointed by
proclamation, except as provided by this section.(2) Parts 1 and 5 and sections 15–20 commence on the date of
assent.3 ObjectsThe objects of this Act are:(a) to give adult adopted persons greater access to information
concerning their origins, and
(b) to give the birth parents and adoptive parents of adult adopted
persons greater access to information concerning their children,
(c) to preserve controls adoptive parents have over the access of
adopted children to information concerning their origins while recognising the
paramount interests of adopted children, and
(d) to give the relatives of adopted persons, birth parents and other
persons access to information concerning adopted persons’ origins in
special circumstances, and
(e) to protect the privacy of adopted persons and birth parents by
establishing a system of vetoes against contact with persons identified
through access to information concerning persons adopted before the date of
assent to this Act, and
(f) to limit the disclosure of information concerning the personal
affairs of persons that might unduly intrude on their privacy,
(g) to make provision for a Reunion and Information Register to
facilitate reunions between adopted persons, birth parents and other persons
(if desired by the persons concerned) and to facilitate exchange of messages
between persons concerned in or affected by an
4 DefinitionsIn this Act:adopted
brother or sister, in relation to an adopted person, means another
adopted person who has or had at least one parent (whether biological or
adoptive) who is or was a birth parent of the adopted person.adopted
person means a person:(a) an order for whose adoption was made under the Adoption of Children Act 1965 or a
former Act within the meaning of that Act, or
(b) whose adoption in another State or Territory of the Commonwealth
or in a country outside the Commonwealth and the Territories is recognised
under the Adoption of Children Act
1965 as having the same effect as if an order for adoption had
been made under that Act.
parent means a person who becomes the parent of an adopted person by
adoption.advance notice
request means an advance notice request lodged under Part
2A.advance
notice registration means an advance notice request registered under
Part 2A and in force.amended birth
certificate, in relation to an adopted person, means a certificate
certifying the particulars relating to the birth of the person based on the
registered memorandum relating to the adoption of the person kept under the
Act 1995.birth parent
means a biological parent of an adopted person.contact veto
means a veto against contact registered under Part 3 and in
force.Director-General means the
Director-General of the Department of Family and Community
Services.hospital
means:(a) a public hospital under the control of an area health service
within the meaning of the Health Services
Act 1997 or the Crown, or
(b) a statutory health corporation or affiliated health organisation
Act 1997, or
(c) a private hospital within the meaning of the Private Hospitals and Day Procedure Centres Act
source means:(a) the Department of Family and Community Services,
(b) the Department of Health, or
(c) a private adoption agency, or
(d) a hospital, or
(e) the Office of the Registrar, or
(f) the Supreme Court, or
(g) any other institution, body or person prescribed as an information
source for the purposes of this Act.
birth certificate, in relation to an adopted person, means:(a) if the person’s birth is registered under the Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Act
1995—a certificate certifying the particulars relating
to the birth of the person registered under section 17 of that Act,
(b) if the person’s birth is not so registered—a copy of
any similar document relating to the adopted person identifying the birth
parents of the person and contained in records relating to the adoption of the
person that are held by an information source.
information has the meaning given by section 5.primary
information source means:(a) the Registrar, or
(b) if another person is prescribed by the regulations for the purpose
of the provision in relation to which the expression is used—that
adoption agency means a charitable organisation for the time being
approved as a private adoption agency under Part 3 of the Adoption of Children Act
1965.Registrar means
the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages.relative means a
grandparent, son, daughter, grandchild, brother, sister, uncle or aunt of a
person:(a) whether the relationship is of the whole blood or half blood or by
(b) whether the relationship is natural or depends on the adoption of
sibling of an
adopted person means a brother or sister of the person, whether the
relationship is of the whole blood or half blood.supply
authority means an authority to supply a birth certificate or
prescribed information issued by the Director-General in accordance with the
regulations.5 Prescribed information(1) For the purposes of this Act, prescribed
information is information of a kind prescribed by the
regulations.(2) Different kinds of information may be prescribed:(a) for different classes of persons to whom the information relates,
(b) for different classes of persons to whom the information is
supplied under this Act.
(3) Subsection (2) does not limit the different kinds of information
that may be prescribed.Part 2 Access to birth certificates and other
information6 Adopted person’s rights(1) An adopted person is entitled to receive (subject to this
Act):(a) the person’s original birth certificate,
(b) any prescribed information relating to the person’s birth
parents held by an information source, and
(c) any prescribed information relating to an adopted brother or
sister of the person held by an information source.
(2) An adopted person who is less than 18 years old is not entitled to
receive his or her original birth certificate or prescribed information except
with the consent of:(a) his or her surviving adoptive parents and surviving birth parents
(as shown on the original birth certificate), or
(b) the Director-General if there are no surviving adoptive parents or
birth parents (as so shown) or if they cannot be found or if there is, in the
opinion of the Director-General, any other sufficient reason to dispense with
(3) An adopted person is not entitled to receive any prescribed
information held by an information source unless:(a) the adopted person produces to the information source his or her
original birth certificate (being a certificate supplied under this Part),
(b) his or her original birth certificate is held by that information
source and will be supplied together with the prescribed
7 Adoptive parent’s rights(1) An adoptive parent of an adopted person is entitled to receive
(subject to this Act):(a) the adopted person’s original birth certificate,
(b) any prescribed information relating to the adopted person held by
(2) The adoptive parent is not entitled to receive the original birth
certificate unless the adopted person is 18 or more years old and consents to
the adoptive parent receiving it.8 Birth parent’s rights(1) A birth parent of an adopted person who is 18 or more years old is
entitled to receive (subject to this Act):(a) the amended birth certificate of the adopted person if a
memorandum of the adoption of the person is registered under the Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Act
1995, and
(b) any prescribed information relating to the adopted person or the
adoptive parents held by an information source.
(2) A man who claims to be the birth parent of an adopted person is
entitled to receive an amended birth certificate or prescribed information
if:(a) he is shown on the adopted person’s original birth
certificate as the person’s father, or
(b) he is a person whom the Director-General, Registrar or other
information source is entitled to presume, under any law (including a law of
another State or Territory or the Commonwealth), to be the person’s
(3) A birth parent is not entitled to receive any prescribed
information held by an information source unless the birth parent produces to
the information source the amended birth certificate of the adopted person
(being a certificate supplied under this Part) except as provided by
subsection (4).(4) A designated person may supply a birth parent with prescribed
information held by an information source about an adopted child who is less
than 18 years old without production of the amended birth certificate of the
adopted person if, in the opinion of the designated person, the information
could not be used to identify the adopted person or his or her adoptive
parents.(5) In this section:designated
person has the same meaning as it has in section
11.9 Access to adoption information by relatives and others
after death of adopted person or birth parent(1) The Director-General may:(a) supply to a relative or spouse of a deceased adopted person or of
a deceased birth parent, or to another person, the original or amended birth
certificate of the adopted person or birth parent, or
(a1) supply to a relative or spouse of a deceased adopted person or of
a deceased birth parent, or to another person, any prescribed information
relating to, or which an adopted person or birth parent is entitled to receive
relating to, the adopted person or birth parent, or
(b) after such consultation with the Registrar or other information
source concerned as the Director-General considers necessary, authorise the
Registrar or other information source to supply such a birth certificate or
such information to a person nominated by the
(2) The Director-General must not supply a birth certificate or
prescribed information to a person other than a relative or spouse (or
authorise such action to be taken by an information source) unless the person
had a close personal relationship with the deceased
person.(2A) The Director-General must not supply a birth certificate or
prescribed information to any person (or authorise such action to be taken by
an information source) unless the Director-General has taken into account any
likely detriment to the welfare and best interests of any adopted person,
birth parent, relative or spouse of the deceased person or the other person if
the birth certificate or information is supplied.(3) An information source so authorised by the Director-General to
supply a birth certificate or prescribed information must supply that
certificate or information to the person nominated by the
Director-General.(4) This section does not apply to prescribed information held by the
Supreme Court.(5) In this section:spouse of a
deceased person includes a person with whom the deceased had a de facto
relationship (within the meaning of the Property (Relationships) Act 1984)
at the time of his or her death.10 Application for supply of birth certificate or prescribed
information(1) An application for the supply of an original birth certificate
under this Part is to be made in writing to:(a) if the person’s birth is registered under the Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Act
1995—the primary information source,
(b) if the person’s birth is not so registered but his or her
original birth certificate is held by an information source—that
(2) An application for the supply of an amended birth certificate
under this Part is to be made in writing to the primary information
source.(3) An application for the supply of prescribed information held by an
information source is to be made in writing to the information
source.(4) The regulations may make provision for or with respect to the
making of applications under this Part.11 Persons designated to deal with applications(1) An application for the supply of a birth certificate or prescribed
information under this Part is to be dealt with by the designated
person.(2) The designated person is required to supply the birth certificate
or prescribed information if satisfied that the applicant is entitled under
this Act to receive it.(3) This section does not apply to the Supreme
Court.(4) In this section, designated person
means:(a) in relation to the Department of Family and Community
Services—the Director-General, or
(b) in relation to a hospital controlled, or health service provided,
by an area health service within the meaning of the Health Services Act 1997—the
chief executive officer of the service, or
(c) in relation to a statutory health corporation or affiliated health
organisation within the meaning of the Health Services Act 1997—the
chief executive officer of the corporation or organisation,
(d) in relation to the Department of Health—the Director-General
of the Department, or
(e) in relation to a private adoption agency—the principal
officer (within the meaning of the Adoption
of Children Act 1965) of the private adoption agency,
(f) in relation to a private hospital (within the meaning of the
Private Hospitals and Day Procedure Centres
Act 1988)—the licensee of the private hospital,
(g) in relation to the Office of the Registrar—the Registrar,
(h) in relation to an institution, body or person prescribed as an
information source for the purposes of this Act—the person prescribed as
the designated person for that institution, body or
and includes a person to whom a function under this section has been duly
delegated by the designated person and a person authorised by the designated
person in accordance with the guidelines prescribed by the
regulations.12 Discretion to supply birth certificate or prescribed
information(1) The Director-General may supply (or authorise an information
source to supply) any birth certificate or prescribed information before an
entitlement to the certificate or information arises under this Part if, in
the opinion of the Director-General, it would promote the welfare and best
interests of either or both of the parties
concerned.(2) The Director-General may act under subsection (1) in any case in
which an entitlement to prescribed information has not arisen because of the
failure to obtain a birth certificate under this
Part.(3) The Director-General may supply (or authorise an information
source to supply) any birth certificate or prescribed information to a sibling
of an adopted person or any other person who is not entitled under this Act to
receive the birth certificate or prescribed information under this Part if, in
the opinion of the Director-General, it is appropriate to do so because of
exceptional circumstances affecting the interests or welfare of any
person.12A Discretion to withhold supply (or authorise the
conditions(1) The following persons may request the Director-General to act
under this section:(a) an adopted person who is 18 or more years old,
(c) an adoptive parent of a person who is less than 18 years
(d) an adoptive parent of a person who is 18 or more years old and who
has consented to the request being made.
(2) The Director-General may, at the request of a person referred to
in subsection (1):(a) refuse to supply (or, if the regulations provide for the issue of
a supply authority, to issue a supply authority authorising an information
source to supply) any birth certificate or prescribed information to which an
entitlement arises under this Part, or
(b) supply such a certificate or information subject to conditions
specified in writing by the Director-General, or
(c) if the regulations provide for the issue of a supply authority,
issue a supply authority authorising an information source only to supply,
subject to compliance with conditions specified by the Director-General, any
birth certificate or prescribed information.
(3) The Director-General may refuse to supply a birth certificate or
prescribed information under this section only if, in the opinion of the
Director-General, exceptional circumstances exist that make it necessary to do
so to prevent serious harm to a party concerned.(4) Conditions that may be imposed by the Director-General under this
section include conditions requiring the person entitled to the birth
certificate or prescribed information to undergo counselling by a person
specified by the Director-General before the certificate or information is
supplied.(5) The Director-General must deal with a request under this section
in accordance with any guidelines prescribed by the
regulations.(6) An information source must not supply any birth certificate or
prescribed information the subject of a supply authority imposing conditions
on its supply unless the conditions are complied
with.(7) The Director-General may not (despite section 5 of the Community Welfare Act 1987) delegate
to another person the exercise of any function of the Director-General under
this section.13 Guidelines for release of prescribed information
etcAn information source which supplies any birth certificate or
prescribed information pursuant to an application under this Act is required
to comply with any relevant guidelines prescribed by the
regulations.14 Access to court records(1) A person is not entitled to receive prescribed information under
this Act from records of proceedings in the Supreme Court relating to the
adoption of a person, except as provided by this
section.(2) A person may apply to the Supreme Court for the supply of the
information.(3) The Supreme Court or a proper officer of the Court may supply the
information to the person.(4) Rules of court may be made for or with respect to orders under
this section.15 Unauthorised disclosure of information(1) A person must not disclose any information relating to an adopted
person, birth parent or adoptive parent obtained in connection with the
administration or execution of this Act, except:(a) in connection with the administration or execution of this Act,
(2) In any proceedings concerning this Act before any court or
tribunal, the court or tribunal may make an order forbidding publication of
all or any of the information mentioned in the proceedings relating to an
adopted person, birth parent, adoptive parent, relative or other
person.(3) A person must not publish information in breach of an order made
under this section.Maximum penalty: 10 penalty units or imprisonment for 12 months,
or both.Part 2A Advance notice15A Object of PartThe object of this Part is to establish an advance notice system
to enable the release of personal information under the Act to be delayed for
a fixed period to give the person requesting the delay the opportunity to
prepare for the release and any impact this might have on the person or the
person’s family or associates.15B DefinitionsIn this Part:advance notice
period means:(a) the period after an application for personal information relating
to a person is made (not being greater than 3 months) prescribed by the
regulations for the purposes of this paragraph, or
(b) if the Director-General so directs in relation to a particular
advance notice request, such longer period (not being greater than the period
(if any) prescribed by the regulations) after an application for personal
information relating to a person is made as is specified by the
contact address means the address entered on the Advance Notice
Register under section 15E (2) (b).personal
information relating to a person means:(a) the person’s original birth certificate or amended birth
(b) prescribed information relating to the person,
(c) if the regulations authorise supply of a birth certificate or
prescribed information relating to the person on issue of a supply
authority—such a supply authority.
15C Who may lodge an advance notice request?A person is entitled to lodge a request to be given advance notice
before personal information relating to the person is given to another person
if the person seeking to lodge the request is:(a) an adopted person who has reached the age of 17 years and 6
(b) a birth parent, or
(c) an adoptive parent.
15D How advance notice request is lodged(1) A person entitled to lodge an advance notice request may do so by
advising the Director-General in writing that he or she wishes to be notified
if a particular person or a person within a class of persons entitled to
receive the personal information concerned specified in the advice makes an
application for personal information relating to the person lodging the
advance notice request.(2) The advice is to be in a form approved by the
Director-General.(3) An advance notice request is not duly lodged unless the person
provides the Director-General with proof (to the satisfaction of the
Director-General) of his or her identity.(4) A person lodging an advance notice request may also leave a
message for a person concerned in or affected by an adoption with the
Director-General for placement on the Reunion and Information
Register.15E Advance Notice Register(1) The Director-General is to establish and maintain an Advance
Notice Register.(2) There is to be entered in the Advance Notice Register:(a) the name of each person who has duly lodged an advance notice
(b) the address nominated by the person as the address at which any
personal or postal contact by the Director-General with the person should be
(c) the date and place of birth of the person, and
(d) the persons or class of persons affected by the request,
(e) the advance notice period.
(3) The Director-General (unless the Director-General is the primary
information source) is to advise the relevant primary information source of
each entry made in the Advance Notice Register.(4) A person whose name is entered in the Advance Notice Register is
to advise the Director-General of any change in his or her nominated contact
address.15F Primary information source to delay issue of supply
authority or prescribed informationThe primary information source is to delay the supply of personal
information affected by an advance notice registration until the expiration of
the advance notice period unless the registration is waived or cancelled under
section 15I.15G Endorsement of details of advance notice
requestThe primary information source is to advise the applicant for the
supply of the personal information that it will not be supplied until the
expiration of the advance notice period and of the reasons for the
delay.15H Expiration of advance notice registrationAn advance notice registration expires:(a) on expiration of the advance notice period, or
(b) if the person who lodged the request for registration cancels it
by notification in writing to the Director-General, or
(c) if the person who lodged the request dies, or
(d) if a contact veto is lodged by the person who lodged the request,
(e) if the person who lodged the request fails to notify the
Director-General in writing of any change in his or her nominated contact
whichever is the sooner.15I Arrangements to waive advance notice period(1) The Director-General may, at the request of a person seeking
supply of personal information that is affected by an advance notice
registration, ask the person who lodged the advance notice request whether he
or she wishes to waive or cancel the registration.(2) The Director-General is not to do so unless the
Director-General:(a) is of the opinion that the personal information is required
urgently and that circumstances exist that justify asking the person to waive
or cancel the registration in order to promote the welfare and best interests
of either or both of the parties concerned, and
(b) has consulted any person or body that the Director-General
believes may be of assistance in assessing the merits of the
(3) The Director-General may arrange for either or both of the parties
concerned in a request under this section to be provided with such counselling
as the Director-General believes is necessary to assist them and the
Director-General in the matter.(4) The Director-General must deal with a request under this section
regulations.15J Notification to person who lodged advance notice
request(1) The Director-General is to notify a person who has lodged an
advance notice request at the person’s nominated contact address of an
application under this Act for the supply of personal information affected by
the registration, unless it is not reasonably practicable to notify the
person.(2) The Director-General is entitled to rely on the address shown in
the Advance Notice Register for this purpose and is not subject to any action,
liability, claim or demand in respect of any notification given in good faith
at that address.Part 3 Contact vetoes16 Adopted person or birth parent may lodge contact
vetoThe following persons may lodge a contact veto:(a) an adopted person who has reached the age of 17 years and 6
(b) a birth parent.
ActA person may lodge a contact veto only if:(a) the order for adoption of the adopted person was made under the
1965 (or a former Act within the meaning of that Act) before
the date of assent to this Act, or
(b) the adoption of the adopted person in another State or Territory
of the Commonwealth or in a country outside the Commonwealth and the
Territories is recognised under the Adoption
of Children Act 1965 as having been effected before the date
of assent to this Act.
18 How contact veto is lodged(1) A person entitled to lodge a contact veto may do so by notifying
the Director-General in writing that he or she objects to contact being made
with him or her by a person or any class of persons referred to in the
notification.(2) The notification is to be in a form approved by the
Director-General.(3) A contact veto is not duly lodged unless the person provides the
Director-General with proof (to the satisfaction of the Director-General) of
his or her identity.(4) A person lodging a contact veto may also leave a message for a
person concerned in or affected by an adoption with the Director-General for
placement on the Reunion and Information Register.19 Contact Veto Register(1) The Director-General is to establish and maintain a Contact Veto
Register.(2) There is to be entered in the Contact Veto Register:(a) the name of each person who has duly lodged a contact veto,
(d) the persons or class of persons with whom the person objects to
contact, and
(e) the name and address for notification of each person who has duly
requested under this Act that he or she be notified of the cancellation or
variation of a contact veto.
sourceThe Director-General is (unless the Director-General is the
relevant primary information source) to advise the primary information source
of the details of each contact veto entered in the Contact Veto
Register.21 Primary information source to endorse details of contact
veto on birth certificate(1) The primary information source is required to endorse details of
each contact veto on the original birth certificate or amended birth
certificate of the adopted person to whom the contact veto relates that is
supplied by the primary information source under this
Act.(2) An information source (other than the primary information source)
which is requested to supply an original birth certificate under this Act is
required:(a) to ascertain from the Director-General whether there is a contact
veto relating to the adopted person concerned, and
(b) if so, to endorse details of the contact veto on the original
birth certificate before it is supplied under this
(3) The regulations may require a primary information source to
endorse details of each contact veto on any memorandum of adoption of a person
or other document concerning an adopted person to whom the contact veto
relates that is supplied by the primary information
source.22 When contact veto takes effect(1) In this section, relevant period means the
period of 5 working days or, if a different period is prescribed by the
regulations, that period.(2) A contact veto takes effect on the expiration of the relevant
period or after details of the contact veto are endorsed on the original birth
certificate or amended birth certificate concerned, whichever occurs
sooner.(3) However, a contact veto that is entered in the Contact Veto
Register earlier than the relevant period before the commencement of this
section takes effect on that commencement.23 Expiration of contact veto(1) A contact veto expires if:(a) (Repealed)
(b) the person who lodged the contact veto cancels it by notification
in writing to the Director-General, or
(c) the person who lodged the contact veto
(2) The Director-General is (unless the Director-General is the
of the expiration of a contact veto unless it is caused by a death of which
the Director-General is not aware.24 Arrangements to confirm, cancel or vary contact veto at
request of person seeking contact(1) The Director-General may, at the request of a person who has been
refused contact under a contact veto, approach the person who lodged the
contact veto and ask the person whether he or she:(a) wishes to confirm the contact veto, or
(b) wishes to cancel the contact veto, or
(c) wishes to vary the contact veto in so far as it relates to contact
with the person who has made the request.
(2) The Director-General is not to approach the person who lodged the
contact veto unless the Director-General:(a) is of the opinion that circumstances exist that justify the
approach in order to promote the welfare and best interests of either or both
of the parties concerned, and
(b) has consulted the Director-General of the Department of Health and
any other relevant authority the Director-General believes may be of
assistance in assessing the merits of the request for the person to be
regulations.25 Notification to person who lodged contact veto of request
for information(1) The Director-General is required to notify a person who has lodged
a contact veto of an application under this Act for the supply of a birth
certificate or prescribed information made by any person with whom contact is
refused, unless the Director-General is unaware of the application or it is
not reasonably practicable to notify the person.(2) This subsection applies where a person is directed by the
Guardianship Board under Part 4A of the Guardianship Act 1987 to make an
application for supply of a birth certificate or prescribed information on
behalf of a person with a disability with whom contact is refused. The
Director-General is required to notify the person who lodged the contact veto
if such an application is made.26 Notification to person affected by contact veto of
cancellation or variationThe Director-General is required to notify a person of any
cancellation or variation of a contact veto that affects the person if the
person requests the Director-General to do so at the time the person receives
a birth certificate or information subject to the contact
veto.27 Undertakings not to contact person who has lodged contact
veto(1) The primary information source or other information source is not
to supply an original birth certificate or amended birth certificate endorsed
with a contact veto against contact by the applicant unless the applicant has
signed an undertaking that the applicant will not (while the contact veto
remains in force):(a) contact or attempt to contact the person who has lodged the
contact veto, or
(b) procure another person to contact or attempt to contact the
(2) An information source is not to supply any prescribed information
to an adopted person relating to an adopted brother or sister unless the
Director-General is notified of the application for the information and is
given an opportunity to ascertain whether a contact veto has been lodged in
relation to contact with the adopted person.(3) If such a contact veto has been lodged, an information source is
not to supply the information unless the applicant has signed an undertaking
of the kind referred to in subsection (1).(4) The Director-General may, as a condition of the supply to a person
of any certificate or information under section 12 which is subject to a
contact veto, require the person to sign an undertaking of the kind referred
to in subsection (1).(5) This section does not apply to an applicant who has been directed
by the Guardianship Board under Part 4A of the Guardianship Act 1987 to make the
application on behalf of a person with a
disability.28 Veto on contact—offences(1) An information recipient must not:(a) contact or attempt to contact the person who lodged a contact veto
against contact by the information recipient, or
(b) procure another person to contact or attempt to contact that
(2) An information recipient must not:(a) use information obtained under this Act to intimidate or harass
the person who lodged a contact veto against contact by the information
recipient, or
(b) procure any other person to intimidate or harass that person by
the use of that information.
(3) A person is not to claim to act on behalf of or hold himself or
herself out as being willing to act on behalf of another person with a view to
contravening this section.(4) In this section:information
recipient means an adopted person, adoptive parent, birth parent,
relative or other person:(a) who has received an original birth certificate or amended birth
certificate endorsed with a contact veto against contact by him or her (being
a contact veto that remains in force), or
(b) who has had disclosed to him or her prescribed information under
this Act and who has knowledge that a contact veto against contact by him or
her is then in force.
Maximum penalty: 25 penalty units or imprisonment for 6 months, or
both.29 (Repealed)Part 4 Reunion and Information Register30 DefinitionIn this Part:register means
the Reunion and Information Register established under this
Part.31 Reunion and Information Register(1) The Director-General is to establish a Reunion and Information
Register.(2) There is to be entered in the register:(a) the name of every person who is eligible to have his or her name
entered in the register and who has duly applied for entry of his or her name
with a view to a reunion with a person from whom he or she has been separated
as a consequence of an adoption, and
(b) the name of every person who is eligible to have his or her name
with a view to leaving a message for a person concerned in or affected by an
(3) Application for entry in the register is to be made in a form
approved by the Director-General.31A Message may be leftAny person whose name is entered on the register may leave a
message for any other person entitled (subject to this Act) to have his or her
name entered in the register.31B Director-General may refuse to enter name or take
messageThe Director-General may refuse to enter the name of a person in
the register or to accept a message from any person if, in the opinion of the
Director-General, the person is not eligible to have the person’s name
entered in the register or has not duly applied for entry of his or her name
in the register.31C Circumstances in which Director-General may open, inspect
and copy message(1) The Director-General may open, inspect and copy any message left
under this Part for an adopted person who is less than 18 years
old.(2) The Director-General may, at the request of a person whose name is
entered in the register or of the person for whom a message has been left
under this Part, open and inspect the message.31D Director-General may delay delivery or messageThe Director-General may delay giving a person a message that the
Director-General has been requested to open and inspect if the
Director-General is of the opinion that the content of the message is likely
to be so distressing for the person that it should be made available to the
person only in the presence of appropriate counsellors or other persons able
to assist the person.31E RegulationsThe regulations may make provision for or with respect to the
leaving and delivery of messages under this Part.32 Persons eligible to have their names entered in the
register(1) The following persons are eligible to have their names entered in
the register:(a) an adopted person,
(b1) an adoptive parent,
(c) any other person having an interest in an adopted person or birth
parent (including a relative) who, in the opinion of the Director-General,
ought to have his or her name entered in the
(2) A person who is less than 18 years old is not eligible to have his
or her name entered in the register, except as provided by this
section.(3) An adopted person who is less than 18 years old is eligible to
have his or her name entered in the register if:(a) the adopted person is 12 or more years old and the person’s
adoptive parents have consented in writing to his or her name being entered in
the register, or
(b) the adopted person is 16 or more years old and is living
separately and apart from his or her adoptive parents, or
(c) the adopted person is 12 or more years old and, in the opinion of
the Director-General, special circumstances exist which make it desirable that
his or her name should be entered in the register.
(4) However, the Director-General is not to enter in the register the
name of an adopted person who is less than 18 years old unless the
Director-General is of the opinion that to do so will promote the welfare and
best interests of the adopted person.(5) The consent of an adoptive parent is not required under subsection
(3) (a) for the entry in the register of the name of an adopted person who is
less than 18 years old if the adoptive parent:(a) is dead, or
(b) cannot, after due search and inquiry, be found,
(c) is, in the opinion of the Director-General, incapable of giving
(6) The name of a person may not be entered in the register by another
person on his or her behalf.33 Arrangements for reunion of registered persons(1) If the names of an adopted person and of a birth parent have been
entered in the register under section 31 (2) (a), the Director-General may
make arrangements for a reunion between the persons so
registered.(2) If the names of an adopted person or birth parent and of a
relative or other person having an interest in the adopted person or birth
parent have been entered in the register under section 31 (2) (a), the
Director-General may make arrangements for a reunion between the persons so
registered.(3) The Director-General is not to arrange a reunion involving an
adopted person who is less than 18 years old if an adoptive parent refused to
consent to the entry of the name of the adopted person in the register under
section 31 (2) (a), unless:(a) the adoptive parent consents in writing to the reunion,
(b) the Director-General gives the adoptive parent not less than 90
days notice of the intention to arrange the
(4) The Director-General must notify any person whose name is entered
in the register under section 31 (2) (a) of the entry in the register of the
name of any other person from whom that person has been separated as a
consequence of adoption.34 Location of persons not registered(1) If the name of an adopted person has been entered in the register
under section 31 (2) (a), the Director-General may take such action as is
reasonable in the circumstances to locate a birth parent or relative of the
adopted person or any other person with whom the adopted person wishes to be
reunited, so as to ascertain whether any such person wishes to be reunited
with the adopted person.(2) If the name of a birth parent has been entered in the register
reasonable in the circumstances to locate the adopted person, so as to
ascertain whether the adopted person wishes to be reunited with the birth
parent.(3) If the name of a relative or other person having an interest in an
adopted person or birth parent has been entered in the register under section
31 (2) (a), the Director-General may take such action as is reasonable in the
circumstances to locate the adopted person or birth parent, so as to ascertain
whether the adopted person or birth parent wishes to be reunited with the
relative or other person.(4) The Director-General may take action to locate a person under this
section only if the Director-General is satisfied that it will promote the
welfare and best interests of the parties concerned and it is appropriate to
do so:(a) on medical, psychiatric or psychological grounds relating to one
of the registered parties, or
(b) on any other ground relating to unusual or extreme circumstances
affecting the interests or welfare of a party.
(5) The Director-General may take action to locate a person under this
section even though the person has not, by entering his or her name in the
register, expressed a desire to be reunited with the person whose name is
entered in the register.Part 5 Miscellaneous35 Fees and charges(1) The Director-General or other information source may demand fees
or charges in respect of the supply of documents or information, or the
provision of services, under this Act.(2) The Director-General is to notify, in the Gazette, the fees or
charges payable under this Act to the Director-General and (if the
Director-General has been so informed) to other information
sources.(2A) A notice under subsection (2) may specify the minimum fees or
charges payable in respect of the supply of any documents or information, or
provision of any service, under this Act.(3) The Director-General or other information source may waive or
reduce any fees or charges (other than a minimum fee or charge referred to in
subsection (2A)) payable under this Act.(4) The fees or charges for the supply of a birth certificate under
this Act are payable to the Director-General and are in addition to any fees
or charges payable under the Births, Deaths
and Marriages Registration Act 1995 or to an information
source which supplied the certificate.(5) The regulations may make provision for or with respect to fees and
charges payable under this Act.35A Internal review(1) A person who is aggrieved by a decision of the Director-General
made under or for the purposes of this Act on or after the commencement of
this section may apply for review of the decision.(2) An application for a review is to be in a form approved by the
Director-General.(3) On receipt of an application to review a decision, the
Director-General is to review the decision and to notify the applicant of
confirmation or otherwise of the decision.(4) In reviewing a decision, the Director-General is to consider any
material submitted by the applicant.(5) The Director-General is taken to have reviewed a decision if the
applicant is not notified of the outcome of the review within 30 days after
the application for review was duly made.(6) This section applies whether or not the decision concerned is one
that may be the subject of an application to the Administrative Decisions
Tribunal for a review of the decision under section 40 of the Community Services (Complaints, Reviews and
Monitoring) Act 1993.(7) The regulations may prescribe requirements to be observed in
relation to a review under this section.36 Decisions that are reviewable by Administrative Decisions
Tribunal(1) For the purposes of section 40 (1) (a) of the Community Services (Complaints, Reviews and
Monitoring) Act 1993, any of the following decisions made by
the Director-General are reviewable by the Administrative Decisions
Tribunal:(a) a failure or refusal to supply any birth certificate or prescribed
information to a person, or to authorise the Registrar or another information
source to do so under this Act,
(b) a failure or refusal to enter the name of any person in a register
(c) a failure or refusal to arrange a reunion or take action to locate
a person under Part 4,
(d) a failure or refusal to approach a person who has lodged a contact
veto in accordance with a request made under section 24,
(e) a decision made under or for the purposes of this Act by the
Director-General that is a decision within a class of decisions prescribed by
the regulations for the purposes of this section.
(2) Despite section 40 of the Community Services (Complaints, Reviews and
Monitoring) Act 1993, an application cannot be made to the
Tribunal under that section until the decision concerned has been reviewed
under section 35A of this Act.(3) Section 35A applies to the exclusion of section 53 (Internal
reviews) of the Administrative Decisions
Tribunal Act 1997. For the purposes of the application of that
Act to the review of any decision made under this Act, any reference to an
internal review of the decision under that Act is taken to be a reference to
an internal review under section 35A of this Act.36A Entitlements of disabled persons(1) In this section a reference to a person with a disability is a
reference to a person:(a) who is intellectually, physically, psychologically or sensorily
(b) who is of advanced age, or
(c) who is a mentally ill person within the meaning of Chapter 3 of
the Mental Health Act 1990,
(d) who is otherwise disabled,
and who, because of that fact, is restricted in one or more major life
activities to such an extent that he or she requires supervision or social
rehabilitation.(2) If a person with a disability:(a) has an entitlement to receive a birth certificate or prescribed
information, or may lodge a contact veto or advance notice request, under this
(b) is unable, because of the disability, to do anything required by
this Act that must be done if the person is to receive the birth certificate
or prescribed information or lodge the contact veto or advance notice
another person may, if so directed by the Guardianship Board under Part
4A of the Guardianship Act
1987, do any such act on behalf of the person with the
disability.(3) The Director-General may:(a) refuse to supply (or, if the regulations provide for the issue of
source to supply) any birth certificate endorsed with a contact veto to a
person acting on behalf of a person with a disability, or
(b) direct an information source not to supply any such birth
if the Director-General is of the opinion that the person will be unable
to ensure that the person with the disability will not contact or attempt to
contact the person who lodged the contact veto.37 Manner of giving notice(1) Any notice required to be given to a person by the
Director-General under this Act may be given personally or by
post.(2) If any such person has duly nominated an address at which the
person is to be notified, the notice may be given to the person only at that
address.38 False statement in application etc(1) A person who makes any statement which the person knows to be
false for the purposes of or in connection with:(a) an application for the supply of a birth certificate or prescribed
information under this Act, or
(b) the lodging of a contact veto under Part 3, or
(c) an application for entry of the person’s name in the Reunion
and Information Register under Part 4, or
(d) any other request under this Act,
is guilty of an offence.Maximum penalty: 10 penalty units or imprisonment for 6 months, or
both.(2) This section applies to statements made in writing or
orally.39 Impersonation(1) A person who impersonates an adopted person, birth parent,
adoptive parent, relative or other person having an interest in an adopted
person in connection with any matter under this Act is guilty of an
offence.(2) A person who impersonates a person engaged in the administration
or execution of this Act is guilty of an offence.Maximum penalty: 10 penalty units or imprisonment for 6 months, or
both.40 Proceedings for offences(1) Proceedings for an offence against this Act or the regulations are
to be disposed of summarily before a Local Court constituted by a Magistrate
sitting alone.(2) Proceedings for an offence against section 28 (Veto on
contact—offences) may be instituted only with the written consent of the
Attorney General.(3) In any proceedings referred to in subsection (2), a consent
purporting to have been signed by the Attorney General is, without proof of
the signature, evidence of that consent.41 Regulations(1) The Governor may make regulations, not inconsistent with this Act,
exceeding 5 penalty units.(3) In particular, regulations may be made for or with respect to the
exercise of any function conferred on a primary information source under this
or any other Act (including, but not limited to, supply of a birth certificate
or prescribed information by the primary information source in accordance with
a supply authority issued by the Director-General).42 Repeal of regulations relating to Adopted Persons Contact
RegisterPart 5A of the Adoption of Children
Regulations is repealed.43 (Repealed)44 Savings, transitional and other provisionsSchedule 2 has effect.Schedule 1 (Repealed)Schedule 2 Savings, transitional and other
provisions(Section 44)Part 1 Preliminary1 Savings and transitional regulations(1) The regulations may contain provisions of a savings or
transitional nature consequent on the enactment of the following Acts:the Adoption Information Act
1990the Adoption Information Amendment Act
1995(2) Any such provision may, if the regulations so provide, take effect
on the date of assent to this Act or a later date.(3) To the extent to which any such provision takes effect on a date
Regulation means Part 5A of the Adoption of Children Regulations as in
force immediately before its repeal by this Act.3 Saving of Adopted Persons Contact RegisterThe Adopted Persons Contact Register established under the
repealed Regulation is to form part of the Reunion Information Register
established under Part 4 of this Act.4 Saving of action commenced under repealed
RegulationAnything done or commenced under the repealed Regulation which
could have been done or commenced under this Act (if this Act had been in
force when it was done or commenced) has effect on or after the repeal of the
repealed Regulation as if it had been done or commenced under this
Act.Part 3 Provisions consequent on the enactment of the
Adoption Information Act 19955 Saving of Reunion Information RegisterThe Reunion Information Register established under this Act as in
force immediately before the commencement of the amendments to Part 4 made by
the Adoption Information Amendment Act 1995 is
taken to form part of the Reunion and Information Register, established under
Part 4, as amended.6 (Repealed)Historical notesThe following abbreviations are used in the Historical notes:
Am amended LW legislation website Sch Schedule Cl clause No number Schs Schedules Cll clauses p page Sec section Div Division pp pages Secs sections Divs Divisions Reg Regulation Subdiv Subdivision GG Government Gazette Regs Regulations Subdivs Subdivisions Ins inserted Rep repealed Subst substituted Table of amending instrumentsAdoption Information Act
1990 No 63. Assented to 26.10.1990. Date of commencement Parts
1, 5 and secs 15–20, assent, sec 2 (2); date of commencement of the
remainder, 2.4.1991, sec 2 (1) and GG No 41, 8.3.1991, p 1893. This Act has
1991No 94Statute Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act (No 2)
1991. Assented to 17.12.1991.Date of commencement of the provisions of Sch 2 relating to the Adoption Information Act 1990,
1993No 2Community Services (Complaints,
Appeals and Monitoring) Act 1993. Assented to 8.4.1993.Date of commencement of Sch 2, 7.4.1994, sec 2 and GG No 50, 25.3.1994, p
1995No 61Adoption Information Amendment Act
1995. Assented to 12.12.1995.Date of commencement, 1.9.1996, sec 2 and GG No 99, 30.8.1996, p 4979.
1996 No 30. Assented to 21.6.1996. Date of commencement of Sch
2.1, assent, sec 2 (1).
Registration Act 1995. Assented to 12.12.1995.Date of commencement, 1.1.1996, sec 2 and GG No 156, 22.12.1995, p
1996No 76Status of Children Act
1996. Assented to 29.10.1996.Date of commencement, 1.9.1998, sec 2 and GG No 126 of 28.8.1998, p 6530.
The amendment was without effect as the section being amended was substituted
by the Adoption Information Amendment Act 1995 No
61 with effect from 1.9.1996.
1997. Assented to 10.7.1997.Date of commencement of Sch 1.1, 1.1.1999, sec 2 and GG No 178 of
Sec 3Am 1995 No 61, Sch 1.2 [1].Sec 4Am 1995 No 61, Schs 1.1 [1] (am 1996 No 30, Sch 2),
1.3 [1], 1.5 [1]; 1995 No 62, Sch 2; 1997 No 154, Sch 6.1
[1].Sec 8Am 1995 No 61, Sch 1.11 [1] (am 1996 No 30, Sch 2)
[2] [3].Sec 9Am 1995 No 61, Sch 1.9 [1]–[3]; 2002 No 73,
Sch 1.2 [1] [2].Sec 10Am 1995 No 61, Sch 1.1 [2] (am 1996 No 30, Sch
2).Sec 11Am 1997 No 154, Sch 6.1 [2].Sec 12Am 1995 No 61, Sch 1.5 [2]
[3].Sec 12AIns 1995 No 61, Sch 1.5 [4].Sec 14Am 1995 No 61, Sch 1.10 [1]
[2].Part 2A (secs 15A–15J)Ins 1995 No 61, Sch 1.3 [2].Sec 18Am 1995 No 61, Sch 1.2 [2].Sec 20Subst 1995 No 61, Sch 1.1 [3].Sec 21Am 1995 No 61, Sch 1.1 [4] (am 1996 No 30, Sch 2)
[5].Sec 22Am 1995 No 61, Sch 1.4 [1].Sec 23Am 1995 No 61, Schs 1.1 [6], 1.4
[2].Sec 25Am 1995 No 61, Sch 1.8 [1].Sec 27Am 1995 No 61, Schs 1.1 [7] (am 1996 No 30, Sch 2),
1.8 [2].Sec 29Rep 1995 No 61, Sch 1.4 [3].Part 4, headingSubst 1995 No 61, Sch 1.2 [3].Secs 30, 31Subst 1995 No 61, Sch 1.2 [4].Secs 31A–31EIns 1995 No 61, Sch 1.2 [4].Sec 32Am 1995 No 61, Sch 1.2 [5].Sec 33Am 1995 No 61, Sch 1.2 [6]
[7].Sec 34Am 1991 No 94, Sch 2; 1995 No 61, Sch 1.2
[6].Sec 35Am 1995 No 61, Sch 1.7 [1]
[2].Sec 35AIns 1995 No 61, Sch 1.6 [1]. Am 1997 No 77, Sch.
1.1 [1].Sec 36Am 1993 No 2, Sch 2; 1995 No 61, Sch 1.6 [2]. Subst
1997 No 77, Sch 1.1 [2].Sec 36AIns 1995 No 61, Sch 1.8 [3].Sec 38Am 1995 No 61, Sch 1.2 [8].Sec 41Am 1995 No 61, Sch 1.1 [8].Sec 43Rep 1999 No 85, Sch 4.Sch 1Rep 1999 No 85, Sch 4.Sch 2Am 1995 No 61, Sch 1.12 [1] [2]; 1997 No 77, Sch
1.1 [3].The whole Act (except Sch 1)Am 1995 No 62, Sch 2
(“Registration of Births, Deaths and Marriages Act
1973” omitted wherever occurring, “Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Act
1995” inserted instead).The whole ActAm 1995 No 62, Sch 2 (“Office of the
Principal Registrar” omitted wherever occurring, “Office of the
Registrar” inserted instead).The whole Act (except sec 4)Am 1995 No 62, Sch 2 (“Principal
Registrar” omitted wherever occurring, “Registrar” inserted