1Short title

1 Short title This Act may be cited as the Adoption of Children Act 1994. 2 Commencement The provisions of this Act shall come into operation on such date or dates as is or are fixed by the Administrator by notice in the Gazette. 3 Interpretation (1) In this Act, unless the contrary intention appears: Aboriginal means a person who is a member of the Aboriginal race of Australia. adoption list means the list established and maintained by the Minister under section 18. adoptive parent, in relation to a child, means a person in whose favour an order for the adoption of a child has been made (whether before or after the commencement of this Act). allocation, in respect of the adoption of a child, means the matching of a person or persons wishing to adopt a child and a child who is available for adoption (for the purposes of the adoption of the child) taking into account the interests and welfare of the child and the wishes of the parent or parents of the child and the person or persons wishing to adopt. approved person means a person, or the holder from time to time of a particular designation or office, approved in writing by the Minister for a purpose under this Act.

Part 1 Preliminary Adoption of Children Act 1994 2 care and custody, in relation to a child, means the responsibility for the daily care and control of the child, including making decisions concerning the accommodation, attendance at school, clothing, feeding, transportation, behaviour and urgent or routine health needs of the child. child means a person who is or was available for adoption in respect of whom an order for adoption is yet to be made or has been made. citizen-child means a child who was born and is domiciled in a State or Territory. Court means the Local Court. Department means the department responsible through the Minister for the administration of this Act. disposition of property includes the grant or exercise of a power of appointment in respect of property. guardian, in relation to a child, means the person who has the responsibility for the care and custody and the long term welfare of the child (including decisions concerning education, religion, place of residence and the general health of the child) and who has the rights, powers and duties vested by law or custom in the guardian of the child. marriage means a legal marriage and married has a corresponding meaning. non-citizen child means a child who has not attained the age of 18 years, who has entered the Territory as a non-citizen for the purposes of being adopted by a permanent resident of Australia and who is intended to become a permanent resident of Australia. overseas country means a country that is outside the Commonwealth and the Territories of the Commonwealth and includes part of such a country. parent means birth parent or adoptive parent. Register of Adoptions, see section 54(1)(a). registrar, see section 3 of the Local Court Act 2015. relative, in relation to a child, means a grandparent, brother, sister, uncle or aunt of the child, whether the relationship is of whole-blood or half-blood or by affinity, and notwithstanding that the relationship depends on the adoption of any person.