Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:C2025C00154:section:20
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:C2025C00154
Segment Type: section
Provision Reference: s 20
Character Range: 38766–40113

20  Definition of dependant
 (1) For the purposes of this Act, dependant, in relation to a person, includes the spouse of the person, any child of the person and any person with whom the person has an interdependency relationship.
 (2) The spouse, in relation to a person, includes:
 (a) another person (whether of the same sex or a different sex) with whom the person is in a relationship that is registered under a law of a State or Territory prescribed for the purposes of section 2E of the Acts Interpretation Act 1901 as a kind of relationship prescribed for the purposes of that section; and
 (b) another person who, although not legally married to the person, lives with the person on a genuine domestic basis in a relationship as a couple.
 (3) Any child, in relation to a person, includes:
 (a) a stepchild, an ex‑nuptial child or an adopted child of the person; and
 (b) a child of the person's spouse; and
 (c) someone who is a child of the person within the meaning of the Family Law Act 1975.
 (4) An adopted child, in relation to a person, means a person adopted by that person:
 (a) under the law of a State or Territory relating to the adoption of children; or
 (b) under the law of any other place relating to the adoption of children, if the validity of the adoption would be recognised under the law of any State or Territory.