Commonwealth Consolidated Acts

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA ACT 1976 - SECT 54A

  (1)   Subject to the Rules of Court, the Court may by order refer:

  (a)   a proceeding in the Court; or

  (b)   one or more questions arising in a proceeding in the Court;

to a referee for inquiry and report in accordance with the Rules of Court.

  (2)   A referral under subsection   (1) may be made at any stage of a proceeding.

  (3)   If a report of a referee under subsection   (1) is provided to the Court, the Court may deal with the report as it thinks fit, including by doing the following:

  (a)   adopting the report in whole or in part;

  (b)   varying the report;

  (c)   rejecting the report;

  (d)   making such orders as the Court thinks fit in respect of any proceeding or question referred to the referee.