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amendment under the heading "Family Law Act 1975" in the Schedule to the Law and Justice Legislation Amendment Act (No. 4) 1992 is renumbered as subsection 22(3A).

PART 6—AMENDMENT OF THE FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA ACT 1976

Division 1—Principal Act

Principal Act

36. In this Part, "Principal Act" means the Federal Court of Australia Act 19764.

Division 2—Amendments relating to the appellate jurisdiction of the Federal Court

Object of Division

37. The object of this Division is to widen the powers of a single Judge to deal with matters ancillary to appeals to the Federal Court.

Exercise of appellate jurisdiction

38. Section 25 of the Principal Act is amended by inserting after subsection (2A) the following subsections:

  "(2B) A single Judge or a Full Court may:

  (a) join or remove a party to an appeal to the Court; or

    (b) make an order by consent disposing of an appeal to the Court (including an order for costs); or

    (c) give directions about the conduct of an appeal to the Court, including directions about:

      (i) the use of written submissions; and

      (ii) limiting the time for oral argument.

"(2C) The Rules of Court may make provision enabling matters of the kind mentioned in subsection (2B) to be dealt with, subject to conditions prescribed by the Rules, without an oral hearing.".

Division 3—Amendments relating to testimony given by video link, telephone or other appropriate means

Objects of Division

  39. The objects of this Division are:

    (a) to allow witnesses to give sworn testimony by video link, telephone or other appropriate means; and

    (b) to allow overseas witnesses to give unsworn testimony by video link, telephone or other appropriate means.

Evidence on appeal

40. Section 27 of the Principal Act is amended by omitting all the words after "evidence may" and substituting the following words and paragraphs:

"be taken:

  (a) on affidavit; or

    (b) by video link, telephone or other appropriate means in accordance with another provision of this Act or another law of the Commonwealth; or

  (c) by oral examination before the Court or a Judge; or

  (d) otherwise in accordance with section 46.".

Oral, video link, telephone and affidavit evidence

41. Section 47 of the Principal Act is amended by inserting after subsection (1) the following subsections:

"(1A) The Court or a Judge may, for the purposes of any proceeding, direct or allow testimony to be given by video link, telephone or other appropriate means. The testimony must be given on oath or affirmation unless:

  (a) the person giving the testimony is in a foreign country; and

  (b) either:

        (i) the law in force in that country does not permit the person to give testimony on oath or affirmation for the