(1) Evidence of anything said, or any admission made, by or in the company of:
(a) a family counsellor conducting family counselling; or
(b) a person (the professional ) to whom a family counsellor refers a person for medical or other professional consultation, while the professional is carrying out professional services for the person;
is not admissible:
(c) in any court (whether or not exercising federal jurisdiction); or
(d) in any proceedings before a person authorised to hear evidence (whether the person is authorised by a law of the Commonwealth, a State or a Territory, or by the consent of the parties).
(2) Subsection (1) does not apply to:
(a) an admission by an adult that indicates that a child under 18 has been abused or is at risk of abuse; or
(b) a disclosure by a child under 18 that indicates that the child has been abused or is at risk of abuse;
unless, in the opinion of the court, there is sufficient evidence of the admission or disclosure available to the court from other sources.
(3) Nothing in this section prevents a family counsellor from disclosing information necessary for the counsellor to give a certificate of the kind mentioned in paragraph 16(2A)(a) of the Marriage Act 1961 .
(4) A family counsellor who refers a person to a professional (within the meaning of paragraph (1)(b)) must inform the professional of the effect of this section.