Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2024C00417:reg:3:p62
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2024C00417
Segment Type: reg
Provision Reference: reg 3 (pt 62/100)
Character Range: 267477–270147

of the Family Law Act.
Note: A family consultant's report may be a child impact report, a specific issues report or a family report.
 (2) When deciding whether to order a family consultant's report, the court may take the following matters into consideration, together with any other relevant matters:
 (a) whether the proceeding involves:
 (i) an intractable or complex parenting proceeding; or
 (ii) if a child is mature enough for the child's views to be significant in determining the proceeding—a dispute about the child's views; or
 (iii) a dispute about the existence or quality of the relationship between a parent, or other significant person, and a child; or
 (iv) allegations that a child is at risk of abuse; or
 (v) family violence;
 (b) whether there is any other relevant independent expert evidence available;
 (c) the capacity of each party to contribute to the cost of a single expert report instead of a family consultant's report.
 (3) An application for a family consultant's report (whether made orally or in writing), and any order made, must identify the issues to be addressed by the report.
 (4) When ordering a family consultant's report, the court may order a party or a child to attend for the purposes of preparing the report.
 (5) If a family consultant's report is obtained in accordance with an order made under this rule, the court may do any of the following:
 (a) by order or otherwise, give a copy of the report to any of the following:
 (i) a party, a lawyer for a party, or an independent children's lawyer, in the proceeding;
 (ii) a children's court (however described) of a State or Territory;
 (iii) a prescribed child welfare authority;
 (iv) an authority established by or under a law of a State or Territory for purposes including the provision of legal assistance;
 (v) the convenor of any legal dispute resolution conference;
 (vi) a member of the police force of a State or Territory;
 (b) receive the report in evidence;
 (c) permit oral examination of the person making the report;
 (d) order that the report not be released to a person or that access to the report be restricted.
 (6) If the court, other than by order, gives a copy of a family consultant's report to a person or body under subrule (5), the copy must be accompanied by a notice that states the following information:
 (a) the people to whom a copy of the report may be provided;
 (b) the status of the report at the time of its preparation;
 (c) information about the potential consequences for unauthorised publication of information contained in the report.

8.12  Report after dispute resolution
 (1) At the end of court‑ordered dispute resolution,