3Interpretation

### 3 Interpretation > > (1)  In this Act, unless the contrary intention appears –[*\[Section 3 Subsection (1) amended by No. 25 of 2005, s. 20, Applied:21 Jul 2005\]*](/view/html/inforce/2005-07-21/act-2005-025#GS20@EN) > > > > > [*\[Section 3 Subsection (1) amended by No. 25 of 2005, s. 20, Applied:21 Jul 2005\]*](/view/html/inforce/2005-07-21/act-2005-025#GS20@EN) ***Aboriginal child*** means a child who is an Aboriginal person within the meaning of the [Aboriginal Lands Act 1995](/view/html/inforce/2026-04-12/act-1995-098) ; > > > > > ***abuse or neglect*** means – > > > > > > > > (a) sexual abuse; or > > > > > > > > > (b) physical or emotional injury or other abuse, or neglect, to the extent that – > > > > > > > > > > > > (i) the injured, abused or neglected person has suffered, or is likely to suffer, physical or psychological harm detrimental to the person's wellbeing; or > > > > > > > > > > > > > (ii) the injured, abused or neglected person's physical or psychological development is in jeopardy – > > > > > > and "**abused or neglected**" has a corresponding meaning; > > > > [*\[Section 3 Subsection (1) amended by No. 64 of 2013, s. 4, Applied:28 Feb 2018\]*](/view/html/inforce/2018-02-28/act-2013-064#GS4@Hpa@EN) > > > > > ***amend*** means – > > > > > > > > (a) omit matter; and > > > > > > > > > (b) insert matter; and > > > > > > > > > (c) omit matter and substitute other matter; > > > > > ***another State*** includes a Territory; > > > > > ***assessment order*** means an order made under [section 22(2)](#GS22@Gs2@EN) ; > > > > > ***at risk*** has the meaning given by [section 4](#GS4@EN) ; > > > > > ***authorised officer*** means – > > > > > > > > (a) a police officer assisting the Secretary in an assessment of a child's circumstances; and > > > > > > > > > (b) an employee of the Department authorised by the Secretary to take action under [section 20](#GS20@EN) as an authorised officer; > > > > [*\[Section 3 Subsection (1) amended by No. 76 of 2003, Sched. 1, Applied:01 Jan 2004\]*](/view/html/inforce/2004-01-01/act-2003-076#JS1@Ja6@GC1@Hpa@EN) > > > > > [*\[Section 3 Subsection (1) amended by No. 76 of 2003, Sched. 1, Applied:01 Jan 2004\]*](/view/html/inforce/2004-01-01/act-2003-076#JS1@Ja6@GC1@Hpa@EN) ***authorised police officer*** means a police officer – > > > > > > > > (a) who is of or above a rank as specified by the Commissioner of Police for the purpose of this Act; or > > > > > > > > > (b) who is designated as an authorised police officer by the Commissioner of Police for the purpose of this Act; > > > > > ***care agreement*** means an agreement entered into under [section 11](#GS11@EN) ; > > > > > ***care and protection order*** means an order made under [section 42](#GS42@EN) ; > > > > > ***child*** means a person under 18 years of age; > > > > > ***child care*** means the provision of care or accommodation to a child by a person other than the child's parent or a member of the child's extended family; > > > > > ***child care service*** means operations concerned with child care, including a person or agency that is involved with organising or arranging placements for children in child care or placements of child carers with children; > > > > > ***Children and Young Persons Advisory Council*** means the committee established under [section 81(1)(b)](#GS81@Gs1@Hpb@EN) ; > > > > > ***Children and Young Persons Consultative Council*** means the committee established under [section 81(1)(a)](#GS81@Gs1@Hpa@EN) ; > > > > [*\[Section 3 Subsection (1) amended by No. 2 of 2016, Sched. 4, Applied:01 Jul 2016\]*](/view/html/inforce/2016-07-01/act-2016-002#JS4@Ja1@GC1@EN) > > > > > ***committee*** means – > > > > > > > > (a) the Children and Young Persons Advisory Council; or > > > > > > > > > (b) the Children and Young Persons Consultative Council; or > > > > > > > > > (c) any other committee established under [section 81](#GS81@EN) ; > > > > > [*\[Section 3 Subsection (1) amended by No. 22 of 2009, s. 4, Applied:01 Aug 2009\]*](/view/html/inforce/2009-08-01/act-2009-022#GS4@Hpa@EN) ***Community-Based Intake Service*** means an organisation that has entered into an agreement with the Secretary under [section 53D](#GS53D@EN) ; > > > > > ***comply with*** includes not contravene; > > > > > ***contravene*** includes fail to comply with; > > > > > ***contribution order*** means an order under [section 74](#GS74@EN) ; > > > > > ***Court*** means the Magistrates Court (Children's Division); > > > > > ***district registrar*** means a district registrar appointed under [section 16A of the](/view/html/inforce/2026-04-12/act-1987-045#GS16A@EN) [Magistrates Court Act 1987](/view/html/inforce/2026-04-12/act-1987-045) ; > > > > [*\[Section 3 Subsection (1) amended by No. 86 of 2000, Sched. 1, Applied:01 May 2001\]*](/view/html/inforce/2001-05-01/act-2000-086#JS1@Ja21@GC1@Hpa@EN) > > > > > [*\[Section 3 Subsection (1) amended by No. 86 of 2000, Sched. 1, Applied:01 May 2001\]*](/view/html/inforce/2001-05-01/act-2000-086#JS1@Ja21@GC1@Hpa@EN) ***employee of the Department*** means a State Service officer or State Service employee employed in the Department; > > > > > ***enactment*** means an Act, order or other instrument of a legislative character of Tasmania, another State, the Commonwealth, another country or any other place; > > > > > ***extended family*** means – > > > > > > > > (a) all persons, other than the child's immediate family, to whom the child is or has been related by blood, adoption or marriage; and > > > > > > > > > (b) if a child is an Aboriginal child who has traditional Aboriginal kinship ties, those persons held to be related to the child according to Aboriginal kinship rules; and > > > > > > > > > (c) if the child is a member of a community that accepts relationships other than those referred to in [paragraph (a)](#GS3@Gs1@Nd35825391377315@Hpa@EN) or [(b)](#GS3@Gs1@Nd35825391377315@Hpb@EN) as kinship ties, those persons held to be related to the child by that community; > > > > > ***facilitator*** means a person approved as a facilitator under [section 86](#GS86@EN) ; > > > > > ***family*** means a child's immediate family and extended family; > > > > > [*\[Section 3 Subsection (1) amended by No. 64 of 2013, s. 4, Applied:28 Feb 2018\]*](/view/html/inforce/2018-02-28/act-2013-064#GS4@Hpb@EN) ***family group conference*** means a family group conference convened under [section 30](#GS30@EN) , [39](#GS39@EN) or [53](#GS53@EN) ; > > > > > ***function*** includes duty; > > > > > ***Fund*** means the Tasmanian Guardianship Fund established and maintained under [section 72](#GS72@EN) ; > > > > > ***Government Agency*** means – > > > > > > > > (a) [*\[Section 3 Subsection (1) amended by No. 86 of 2000, Sched. 1, Applied:01 May 2001\]*](/view/html/inforce/2001-05-01/act-2000-086#JS1@Ja21@GC1@Hpb@EN) a Government department within the meaning of the [State Service Act 2000](/view/html/inforce/2026-04-12/act-2000-085) ; and > > > > > > > > > (b) an incorporated or unincorporated body that – > > > > > > > > > > > > (i) is established, constituted or continued by or under an Act or under the royal prerogative; and > > > > > > > > > > > > > (ii) is, or has a governing authority that is, wholly or partly comprised of a person or persons appointed by the Governor, a Minister of the Crown or another such body; > > > > > ***Government authority of another State*** means a Minister of the Crown, or a person appointed by the Crown, in right of another State; > > > > > ***guardian*** means – > > > > > > > > (a) a parent of a child; and > > > > > > > > > (b) a person (other than the Secretary) who is the legal guardian of a child; and > > > > > > > > > (c) a person (other than the Secretary) who has the legal custody of a child; and > > > > > > > > > (d) any other person (other than the Secretary) who generally acts in the place of a parent of a child and has done so for a significant length of time; > > > > > ***immediate family***, in relation to a child, includes all of a child's guardians; > > > > > ***interim assessment order*** means an order made under [section 26(1)](#GS26@Gs1@EN) ; > > > > > ***interim care and protection order*** means an order made under [section 46(1)](#GS46@Gs1@EN) ; > > > > > [*\[Section 3 Subsection (1) amended by No. 22 of 2009, s. 4, Applied:01 Aug 2009\]*](/view/html/inforce/2009-08-01/act-2009-022#GS4@Hpb@EN) ***information-sharing entity*** means – > > > > > > > > (a) a prescribed person within the meaning of [section 14(1)](#GS14@Gs1@EN) ; or > > > > > > > > > (b) a State Service officer or State Service employee employed in or for the purposes of the Department or another department, within the meaning of the [Administrative Arrangements Act 1990](/view/html/inforce/2026-04-12/act-1990-004) ; or > > > > > > > > > (c) [*\[Section 3 Subsection (1) amended by No. 64 of 2013, s. 4, Applied:28 Feb 2018\]*](/view/html/inforce/2018-02-28/act-2013-064#GS4@Hpd@EN) a person conducting an establishment, within the meaning of the [Health Service Establishments Act 2006](/view/html/inforce/2026-04-12/act-2006-017) ; or > > > > > > > > > (d) [*\[Section 3 Subsection (1) amended by No. 69 of 2013, Sched. 1, Applied:17 Feb 2014\]*](/view/html/inforce/2014-02-17/act-2013-069#JS1@Ja5@GC1@EN) a controlling authority of an approved hospital, approved assessment centre or secure mental health unit, all within the meaning of the [Mental Health Act 2013](/view/html/inforce/2026-04-12/act-2013-002) ; or > > > > > > > > > (e) [*\[Section 3 Subsection (1) amended by No. 27 of 2011, s. 57, Applied:01 Jan 2012\]*](/view/html/inforce/2012-01-01/act-2011-027#GS57@EN) [*\[Section 3 Subsection (1) amended by No. 6 of 2025, s. 17, Applied:01 Jul 2025\]*](/view/html/inforce/2025-07-01/act-2025-006#GS17@EN) the person in charge of an organisation that is a disability services provider within the meaning of the [Disability Rights, Inclusion and Safeguarding Act 2024](/view/html/inforce/2026-04-12/act-2024-021) ; or > > > > > > > > > (f) the person in charge of an organisation that receives funding from the Secretary under a funding agreement to provide drug or alcohol treatment services; or > > > > > > > > > (g) the person in charge of an organisation that receives a referral from the Secretary or a Community-Based Intake Service; or > > > > > > > > > (h) any other person or organisation prescribed in the regulations; > > > > > ***parent*** includes a stepmother or stepfather of the child; > > > > [*\[Section 3 Subsection (1) amended by No. 76 of 2003, Sched. 1, Applied:01 Jan 2004\]*](/view/html/inforce/2004-01-01/act-2003-076#JS1@Ja6@GC1@Hpb@EN) > > > > > ***recognised Aboriginal organisation*** means an organisation declared to be a recognised Aboriginal organisation under [section 106](#GS106@EN) ; > > > > > ***regulations*** means regulations made and in force under [section 112](#GS112@EN) ; > > > > > [*\[Section 3 Subsection (1) amended by No. 15 of 2011, s. 4, Applied:28 Jun 2011\]*](/view/html/inforce/2011-06-28/act-2011-015#GS4@EN) ***risk notification*** means – > > > > > > > > (a) information voluntarily provided to the Secretary or a Community-Based Intake Service under [section 13(2)](#GS13@Gs2@EN) , or any similar voluntary notification to the Secretary or a Community-Based Intake Service; or > > > > > > > > > (b) information provided to the Secretary or a Community-Based Intake Service under [section 14(2)](#GS14@Gs2@EN) ; or > > > > > > > > > (c) a report provided to the Secretary under [section 18(3)](#GS18@Gs3@EN) or [(5)](#GS18@Gs5@EN) ; > > > > > ***Secretary*** means the Secretary of the Department; > > > > > [*\[Section 3 Subsection (1) amended by No. 22 of 2009, s. 4, Applied:01 Aug 2009\]*](/view/html/inforce/2009-08-01/act-2009-022#GS4@Hpc@EN) ***significant person*** means a person who is considered significant in the life of a child by – > > > > > > > > (a) the Secretary or his or her nominee; or > > > > > > > > > (b) the guardian of the child; > > > > > ***State*** includes a Territory; > > > > > [*\[Section 3 Subsection (1) amended by No. 64 of 2013, s. 4, Applied:28 Feb 2018\]*](/view/html/inforce/2018-02-28/act-2013-064#GS4@Hpe@EN) ***supervision order*** has the meaning given by [section 42A](#GS42A@EN) ; > > > > > ***working day*** means any day other than – > > > > > > > > (a) a Saturday; or > > > > > > > > > (b) a Sunday; or > > > > > > > > > (c) [*\[Section 3 Subsection (1) amended by No. 82 of 2000, Sched. 1, Applied:13 Dec 2000\]*](/view/html/inforce/2000-12-13/act-2000-082#JS1@Ja2@GC1@EN) a statutory holiday as defined in the [Statutory Holidays Act 2000](/view/html/inforce/2026-04-12/act-2000-096) ; > > > > > ***young person*** means a child who is 16 or 17 years old. > > > (2)  For the purposes of this Act, a person is married to another person if – > > > > > > (a) he or she is legally married; or > > > > > > > (b) [*\[Section 3 Subsection (2) amended by No. 45 of 2003, Sched. 1, Applied:01 Jan 2004\]*](/view/html/inforce/2004-01-01/act-2003-045#JS1@Ja12@GC1@EN) he or she is in a significant relationship, within the meaning of the [Relationships Act 2003](/view/html/inforce/2026-04-12/act-2003-044) , with the other person.