Family Law Amendment Regulations 2007 (No. 3)¹

I, PHILIP MICHAEL JEFFERY, Governor‑General of the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, make the following Regulations under the Family Law Act 1975.

Dated 26 September 2007

P. M. JEFFERY

Governor‑General

By His Excellency’s Command

PHILIP RUDDOCK

1              Name of Regulations

                These Regulations are the Family Law Amendment Regulations 2007 (No. 3).

2              Commencement

                These Regulations commence as follows:

                 (a)     on the day after they are registered — regulations 1 to 3 and Schedule 1;

                (b)     on 15 October 2007 — Schedule 2.

3              Amendment of Family Law Regulations 1984

                Schedules 1 and 2 amend the Family Law Regulations 1984.

Schedule 1        Amendments commencing on day after registration

(regulation 3)

[1]           Part IIIA

omit

[2]           Subregulation 39B (1), note

omit

[3]           Subregulations 39B (5) to (8)

omit

[4]           After regulation 39B

insert in Part IIIB

39BA      Jurisdictions

                For subsections 69S (1A) and 69XA (4) of the Act, a country mentioned in Schedule 4 or 4A is a jurisdiction.

[5]           Regulation 39C, note

substitute

Note   Subsection 124A (2) of the Act authorises the making of regulations conferring jurisdiction on a court or investing a court with jurisdiction.

[6]           Regulation 39D

substitute

39D         Convention countries

                For section 117AC of the Act, a country listed in Schedule 4A is a convention country.

[7]           Regulation 60L

omit

suspension

insert

cancellation

[8]           Subregulations 61A (3) and 61B (3)

after

name of

insert

an

[9]           Subregulation 62A (4)

omit

practitioner has contacted each party who has failed to attend at least twice,

insert

practitioner, or a person acting for the practitioner, has, at least twice, contacted each party who has failed to attend,

[10]         Schedule 4, heading

substitute

Schedule 4        Convention countries

(subregulations 39B (1) and (2) and regulations 39BA and 48)

[11]         After Schedule 4

insert

Schedule 4A      Jurisdictions and convention countries

(regulations 39BA and 39D)

Czech Republic

Denmark

Estonia

Finland

France

Germany

Greece

Italy

Lithuania

Luxembourg

Netherlands

Norway

Poland

Portugal

Slovakia

Spain

Sweden

Switzerland

Turkey

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Schedule 2        Amendments commencing on 15 October 2007

(regulation 3)

[1]           Subregulation 11 (1)

after

other than proceedings in the

insert

Family Court of Australia or the

[2]           After subregulation 11 (1)

insert

   (1AA)   Subject to subregulations (1A) and (7), the following fees are payable for proceedings under the Act in the Family Court of Australia:

                (a)    for a divorce order in relation to a marriage or a decree of nullity of marriage:

                          (i)    a filing fee of $639; and

                         (ii)    if the proceedings are defended — a hearing fee of $500;

               (b)    for a declaration as to the validity of a marriage, a divorce or the annulment of a marriage:

                          (i)    a filing fee of $639; and

                         (ii)    if the proceedings are defended — a hearing fee of $500;

                (c)    in relation to financial or Part VII proceedings:

                          (i)    a filing fee of $145 for each of the following applications:

                                   (A)     an application for final orders;

                                   (B)     a response to an application for final orders; and

                         (ii)    for an application for final orders that is defended — a hearing fee of $500.

               (d)    for an appeal under section 96 of the Act from a decree of a court of summary jurisdiction — a hearing fee of $500.

Note 1   The term financial or Part VII proceedings is defined in subsection  4 (1) of the Act.

Note 2   The fees payable under this subregulation are subject to increase under Part IIAA.

[3]           Subregulation 11 (5)

omit

subregulation (1) or (1A)

insert

subregulation (1), (1AA) or (1A)

[4]           Subregulation 11 (6)

after

subregulation (1)

insert

 or (1AA)

[5]           Subregulation 11 (7)

omit

subregulation (1) or (1A)

insert

subregulation (1), (1AA) or (1A)

[6]           Paragraph 11 (7) (b)

substitute

               (b)    in relation to a fee payable under paragraph (1) (a) or (b), paragraph (1AA) (a) or (b) or subregulation (1A) — the divorce order, decree of nullity of marriage, or declaration mentioned in paragraph (1) (b) or (1AA) (b) (whichever is applicable) was made under the Act or the repealed Act.

[7]           Paragraph 11 (8) (a)

omit

subregulation (1) or (1A)

insert

subregulation (1), (1AA) or (1A)

1.       All legislative instruments and compilations are registered on the Federal Register of Legislative Instruments kept under the Legislative Instruments Act 2003. See www.frli.gov.au.