Commonwealth Consolidated Acts

FAMILY LAW ACT 1975 - SECT 63F

Application of section

  (1)   This section applies to a registered parenting plan that contains child welfare provisions.

  (2)   The court may, by order, vary the child welfare provisions in the plan if it considers the variation is required in the best interests of a child.

  (3)   The child welfare provisions have effect, subject to subsections   (5) and (6), as if they were provisions of a parenting order.

Note:   Provisions of this Act relevant to the child welfare provisions having effect as provided in this subsection include:

(a)   Subdivision E of Division   6 of this Part (dealing with obligations created by parenting orders (other than child maintenance orders)); and

(b)   Division   13A of this Part and Part   XIII (dealing generally with enforcement of orders and sanctions for contravening orders); and

(c)   subsection   65D(2) (providing for discharge, variation, suspension and revival of parenting orders other than child maintenance orders); and

(d)   other provisions of this Act (including subsection   64B(6)) that refer to parenting orders.

  (4)   If provisions of the plan have effect under subsection   (3) as a court order, a person who is a party to the plan is taken (for example, for the purposes of section   65Y) to be a party to the proceedings in which the order was made.

  (5)   Subsection   (3) does not apply to the plan (whenever registered) to the extent (if at all) that the plan purports to determine that the child concerned is to live with a person who is not a parent of the child.

  (6)   Even though the plan is registered, the court, or another court having jurisdiction under this Part, must not enforce the child welfare provisions if it considers that to do so would be contrary to the best interests of a child.

Note:   Sections   60CB to 60CG deal with how a court determines a child's best interests.