Commonwealth Consolidated Acts Commonwealth Consolidated Acts(1) The Matrimonial Causes Act 1959 , the Matrimonial Causes Act 1965 and the Matrimonial Causes Act 1966 are repealed.
(2) Notwithstanding the repeal effected by subsection (1):
(a) the validity of a decree made before the commencement of the Matrimonial Causes Act 1959 by virtue of the Imperial Act entitled the Matrimonial Causes (War Marriages) Act, 1944 or Part I of the Matrimonial Causes (War Marriages) Act 1947 of New Zealand and in force immediately before the commencement of this Act shall continue to be recognised in all courts in Australia;
(b) a decree of the Supreme Court of a State or Territory made before the commencement of the Matrimonial Causes Act 1959 in the exercise of jurisdiction invested or conferred by the Matrimonial Causes Act 1945 , or that Act as amended by the Matrimonial Causes Act 1955 , and in force immediately before the commencement of this Act shall continue to have effect throughout Australia; and
(c) a decree of the Supreme Court, or of a court of summary jurisdiction, of a State or Territory:
(i) made before the commencement of this Act in the exercise of jurisdiction invested or conferred by the repealed Act, or in a matrimonial cause or proceedings for a separation order instituted under the law of that State or Territory, being a decree that was in force immediately before the commencement of this Act; or
(ii) made after the commencement of this Act in proceedings to which subsection 9(1) applied;
shall have, or continue to have, effect throughout Australia, and, except in the case of:
(iii) a decree of nullity of marriage made on the ground that the marriage was voidable;
(iv) a decree of judicial separation;
(v) a decree of restitution of conjugal rights;
(vi) a decree of jactitation of marriage; or
(vii) a separation order;
this Act applies to and in relation to the decree as if the decree had been made under this Act.
(3) For the purposes of paragraph (2)(c), a purported decree to which section 5 of the Matrimonial Causes Act 1971 applied made in a State shall be deemed to be a decree of the Supreme Court of that State made in the exercise of jurisdiction invested by the repealed Act.