15Acceptance of suitability applications

15 Acceptance of suitability applications

(1)  The Secretary or a principal officer may accept a suitability application if he or she is satisfied that the person referred to in the suitability application fulfils the following criteria:

(a) in the case of a suitability application made by two persons, that those persons are –

(i) married; or

(ii) parties to a significant relationship which is the subject of a deed of relationship registered under Part 2 of the Relationships Act 2003 ; or

(iii) residing together in a stable continuous relationship as mentioned in section 20(2) of the Act;

(b) that –

(i) each person so named is resident in Tasmania; and

(ii) each person so named is a permanent resident of Australia; and

(iii) each person so named is an Australian citizen or in the case of a suitability application made by two persons, that one of those persons is an Australian citizen;

(c) that each person so named is in good physical and mental health and whether or not it is reasonable to expect that that health will be maintained;

(d) that each person so named has not been sentenced to a term of imprisonment for a criminal conviction within a period of 5 years preceding the application;

(e) that each person so named has not been sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 5 years or more at any time;

(f) that each person so named has not been convicted of any offence against a child;

(g) that each person so named is not undertaking treatment for infertility;

(h) that a female person so named is not pregnant.

(2)  The Secretary or a principal officer is to inform in writing a person named in a suitability application that the suitability application –