Family Court Act 1997

Family Court Regulations 1998

Reprint 1: The regulations as at 8 February 2007

 


Guide for using this reprint

What the reprint includes

Endnotes, Compilation table, and Table of provisions that have not come into operation

1.Details about the original regulations and legislation that has amended its text are shown in the Compilation table in endnote 1, at the back of the reprint. The table also shows any previous reprint.

2.Transitional, savings, or other provisions identified in the Compilation table may be important. The table may refer to another endnote setting out the text of these provisions in full.

3.A table of provisions that have not come into operation, to be found in endnote 1a if it is needed, lists any provisions of the regulations being reprinted that have not come into operation and any amendments that have not come into operation. The full text is set out in another endnote that is referred to in the table.

Notes amongst text (italicised and within square brackets)

1.If the reprint includes a regulation that was inserted, or has been amended, since the regulations being reprinted were made, editorial notes at the foot of the regulation give some history of how the regulation came to be as it is. If the regulation replaced an earlier regulation, no history of the earlier regulation is given (the full history of the regulations is in the Compilation table).

Notes of this kind may also be at the foot of Schedules or headings.

2.The other kind of editorial note shows something has been —

removed (because it was repealed or deleted from the law); or

omitted under the Reprints Act 1984 s. 7(4) (because, although still technically part of the text, it no longer has any effect).

The text of anything removed or omitted can be found in an earlier reprint (if there is one) or one of the written laws identified in the Compilation table.

Reprint numbering and date

1.The reprint number (in the footer of each page of the document) shows how many times the regulations have been reprinted. For example, numbering a reprint as “Reprint 3” would mean that the reprint was the 3rd reprint since the regulations were published. Reprint numbering was implemented as from 1 January 2003.

2.The information in the reprint is current on the date shown as the date as at which the regulations are reprinted. That date is not the date when the reprint was published by the State Law Publisher and it is probably not the date when the most recent amendment had effect.

 

 

 

Reprinted under the Reprints Act 1984 as

at 8 February 2007

Family Court Regulations 1998

CONTENTS

1.Citation1

2.Commencement1

3.Terms used in these regulations1

4.Dispensing with compliance2

5.Court registry2

6.Fees of Marshal3

7.Recording of proceedings3

8.Family Dispute Resolution3

9.Prescribed information about reconciliation3

10.Matters that a family law dispute resolution practitioner is to have regard to before giving a certificate under section 66H(7)(b)3

11.Registration of court decision4

12.Prescribed government agencies4

13.Third party expenses4

14F.Prescribed benefits5

15.Parentage testing procedures5

16.Parentage testing reports5

17.Registration in a court of orders etc. made by another court5

18.Court fees payable in respect of proceedings6

19.Biennial increases9

20.Calculation of increase9

21.Review of functions of registrars10

Notes

Compilation table12

Defined Terms

 

 

Crest

Reprinted under the Reprints Act 1984 as

at 8 February 2007

Family Court Act 1997

Family Court Regulations 1998

1.Citation

These regulations may be cited as the Family Court Regulations 1998 1.

2.Commencement

These regulations come into operation on the day on which the Family Court Act 1997 comes into operation 1.

3. Terms used in these regulations

(1)In these regulations, unless the contrary intention appears — 

Centrelink means the Commonwealth Services Delivery Agency established under the Commonwealth Services Delivery Agency Act 1997;

court has the meaning referred to in section 8;

Family Law Regulations means the Family Law Regulations 1984 of the Commonwealth;

Family Law Rules means the Family Law Rules 2004 of the Commonwealth;

section means section of the Act.

(2)A reference in a Family Law Regulation adopted or applied under these regulations — 

(a)to the Family Court is to be treated as a reference to the Family Court of Western Australia;

(b)to a registrar is to be treated as a reference to a registrar of the Family Court of Western Australia;

(c)to a Registry of the Family Court is to be treated as a reference to the registry of the Family Court of Western Australia;

(d)to a form in a Schedule of the Family Law Regulations or the Family Law Rules is to be treated as a reference to the form with the appropriate modifications for the purposes of the Act;

(e)to a Part, Division, section, Schedule or other provision of the Family Law Act is to be treated as a reference to the provision of the Family Court Act 1997 with which the provision is comparable;

(f)to the Act is to be treated as a reference to the Family Court Act 1997; and

(g)to Part VIII is to be treated as a reference to Part 5A.

(3)Subject to this regulation, a Family Law Regulation adopted or applied under these regulations is adopted or applied in the form in which it is in force from time to time.

[Regulation 3 amended in Gazette 29 Nov 2002 p. 5663-4; 14 Jul 2006 p. 2561.]

4.Dispensing with compliance

A court may dispense with compliance with any requirement of these regulations, either before or after the occasion for compliance has arisen.

5.Court registry

The registry of the Family Court is to be in Perth .

6.Fees of Marshal

The fees payable to the Marshal are to be in accordance with Part III of the Fifth Schedule to the Rules of the Supreme Court 1971.

7.Recording of proceedings

(1)All proceedings in a court are, where practicable, to be fully recorded.

(2)A record of proceedings need be transcribed only where a court or a registrar so orders or directs.

8.Family Dispute Resolution

Part 5 of the Family Law Regulations is adopted.

[Regulation 8 inserted in Gazette 14 Jul 2006 p. 2561.]

[8A.Repealed in Gazette 14 Jul 2006 p. 2561.]

9.Prescribed information about reconciliation

Family Law Regulation 7 is adopted for the purposes of section 65D.

[Regulation 9 inserted in Gazette 14 Jul 2006 p. 2561.]

10.Matters that a family law dispute resolution practitioner is to have regard to before giving a certificate under section 66H(7)(b)

Before giving a certificate under section 66H(7)(b) a family law dispute resolution practitioner is to have regard to the following matters —

(a)a history of family violence among the parties;

(b)the likely safety of the parties;

(c)the equality of bargaining power among the parties (for example, whether a party is economically or linguistically disadvantaged in comparison with another party);

(d)the risk that a child may suffer abuse;

(e)the emotional, psychological and physical health of the parties;

(f)any other matter that the family dispute resolution practitioner considers relevant.

[Regulation 10 inserted in Gazette 14 Jul 2006 p. 2562.]

11.Registration of court decision

Family Law Regulation 12CC is adopted for the purposes of section 176(6).

[Regulation 11 inserted in Gazette 14 Jul 2006 p. 2562.]

12.Prescribed government agencies

For the purposes of section 202K the following are prescribed government agencies —

(a)the department of the Public Service principally assisting in the administration of the Children and Community Services Act 2004;

(b)the Police Force of Western Australia provided for by the Police Act 1892.

[Regulation 12 inserted in Gazette 14 Jul 2006 p. 2562.]

13.Third party expenses

Family Law Regulation 15AA is adopted for the purposes of section 205ZLK.

[Regulation 13 inserted in Gazette 14 Jul 2006 p. 2562.]

[14, 14A‑14E.Repealed in Gazette 14 Jul 2006 p. 2561.]

14F.Prescribed benefits

Family Law Regulation 12A is adopted and applies for the purposes of the definition of “income tested pension, allowance or benefit” in section 205T.

[Regulation 14F inserted in Gazette 29 Nov 2002 p. 5665.]

15.Parentage testing procedures

(1)Family Law Regulation 21C is adopted and applies for the purposes of the definition of “parentage testing procedure” in section 5.

(2)Family Law Regulations 21B, 21D, 21E, 21F, 21G, 21H, 21I, 21J, 21K and 21L are adopted and apply to a parentage testing procedure that is required to be carried out on a person under a parentage testing order made by a court under section 195.

16.Parentage testing reports

(1)The Attorney General may appoint in writing a person or class of persons, being persons employed at a particular place, to prepare reports relating to the information obtained as the result of conducting parentage testing procedures.

(2)An instrument of appointment under subregulation (1) is to be published in the Gazette.

(3)Family Law Regulation 21M is adopted and applies for the purposes of section 200(b).

17.Registration in a court of orders etc. made by another court

(1)An order under the Act referred to in section 223 in paragraph (f) of the definition of “order under this Act” may be registered by filing a sealed copy of the order in the registry of the first‑mentioned court referred to in paragraph (g) of that definition.

[(2)repealed]

(3)A decree within the meaning of section 209A may be registered in any court by filing a sealed copy of the order in the court’s registry.

[Regulation 17 amended in Gazette 29 Nov 2002 p. 5665; 14 Jul 2006 p. 2562.]

18.Court fees payable in respect of proceedings

(1)Subject to subregulation (7), the following fees are payable in respect of proceedings under the Act —

(a)in relation to Part 5A proceedings or for a parenting order — 

(i)a filing fee of $172 for each of the following applications — 

(I)an application for final orders;

(II)a response to an application for final orders;

and

(ii)for an application for final orders that is defended — a hearing fee of $344;

and

(b)for an appeal under section 211 from a decree of a Magistrates Court  — a hearing fee of $344.

(2)The person liable to pay a fee is — 

(a)the person initiating the proceedings in respect of which the fee is payable; or

(b)if the court or a registrar so orders — 

(i)another party to the proceedings; or

(ii)each of 2 or more of the parties to the proceedings, including the person initiating the proceedings, in the proportions ordered,

but nothing in this subregulation prevents a person other than the person liable to pay the fee from paying the fee.

(3)A filing fee is payable at the time when the application is filed.

(4)A hearing fee is payable — 

(a)if a court or a registrar directs a time within which the fee must be paid — within that time; or

(b)in any other case — at the time when a date is fixed for the hearing of the proceedings.

(5)Subject to subregulation (7), a registrar must not accept an application for filing in any registry unless any filing fee under subregulation (1) has been paid.

(6)Subject to subregulation (7), if, in relation to an application, a hearing fee payable under subregulation (1) is unpaid — 

(a)a court may order that no proceedings, or no proceedings other than specified proceedings, are to take place, except by leave, in the matter to which the application relates;

(b)a person other than the person liable to pay the fee may pay the fee without affecting any power of the court to make an order for costs for the fee; and

(c)the court may vacate the date fixed for hearing.

(7)A fee referred to in subregulation (1) is not payable if — 

(a)the person liable to pay the fee has been granted legal aid, under a legal aid scheme or service established under Commonwealth or State law or approved by the Attorney General of the Commonwealth, for the matter to which the proceedings relate;

(b)the applicant is, at the time the application is filed or a date is fixed for the hearing of the proceedings (as the case requires) — 

(i)the holder of one of the following cards issued by Centrelink —

(I)a health care card;

(II)a health benefit card;

(III)a pensioner concession card;

(IV)a Commonwealth seniors health card;

(ii)the holder of any other card issued by Centrelink or the Commonwealth Department of Veterans’ Affairs that certifies entitlement to Commonwealth health concessions;

(iii)an inmate of a prison or otherwise lawfully detained in a public institution;

(iv)under the age of 18 years;

(v)in receipt of youth allowance, or austudy payment, within the meaning of the Social Security Act 1991 of the Commonwealth; or

(vi)in receipt of benefits under the Commonwealth of Australia student assistance scheme known as the ABSTUDY Scheme;

or

(c)a registrar, having regard to the income, day to day living expenses, liabilities and assets of the person liable to pay the fee, waives payment of the fee because, in the registrar’s opinion, payment of the fee would cause financial hardship to the person.

(7a)In subregulation (7)(b)(i) and (ii) —

holder of a card does not include a dependent of the holder of the card.

(8)If — 

(a)a fee referred to in subregulation (1) has been paid; and

(b)the fee is not payable under subregulation (7),

a registrar must refund to the applicant, or other person who paid the fee, an amount equal to the amount of the fee.

(9)Upon written notice to a registrar, a person who has paid a hearing fee is entitled to a refund of the fee if — 

(a)notice that the hearing for which the fee was paid will not proceed is given to the registrar — 

(i)if the hearing date was fixed less than 20 working days before that date — at least 2 working days before that date; or

(ii)in any other case — at least 20 working days before the hearing date;

and

(b)the hearing — 

(i)does not proceed; or

(ii)is conducted only to formalize the making of final orders.

[Regulation 18 amended in Gazette 29 Nov 2002 p. 5665; 14 Jul 2006 p. 2562‑3.]

19.Biennial increases

A fee prescribed by regulation 18(1) is increased, in accordance with regulation 20, on each biennial anniversary of 1 July 2002.

[Regulation 19 amended in Gazette 29 Nov 2002 p. 5665.]

20.Calculation of increase

(1)In this regulation —

fee means a fee prescribed by regulation 18(1);

CPI number means the All Groups Consumer Price Index number (being the weighted average of the 8 Australian capital cities) published by the Australian Statistician;

relevant period means any of the following periods — 

(a)the 2 year period commencing on 1 July 1998;

(b)after that period — each 2 year period commencing on a biennial anniversary of 1 July 1998.

(2)If, in a relevant period, the latest CPI number is greater than the earlier CPI number, a fee is taken to increase, on 1 July immediately following the end of the period, in accordance with the formula:

where:

earlier CPI number is the CPI number for the last March quarter before the beginning of the relevant period;

fee is the fee in force at the end of the relevant period;

latest CPI number is the CPI number for the last March quarter before the end of the relevant period.

(3)If, apart from this subregulation, the amount of a fee increased under subregulation (2) would be an amount of dollars and cents, the amount is to be rounded to the nearest whole dollar and, if the amount to be rounded is 50 cents, rounded down.

(4)Subject to subregulation (5), if at any time, whether before or after the commencement of this regulation, the Australian Statistician publishes for a particular March quarter a CPI number in substitution for an index number previously published by the Australian Statistician for that quarter, the publication of the later index number is to be disregarded for the purposes of this regulation.

(5)If, at any time, whether before or after the commencement of this regulation, the Australian Statistician changes the reference base for the Consumer Price Index, then, for the purposes of the application of this regulation after the change is made, regard shall be had only to numbers published in terms of the new reference base.

21.Review of functions of registrars

An order, direction or decision made by a registrar under these regulations is reviewable as if it were made by a registrar in the exercise of any of the registrar’s non‑delegated functions under the Family Court Rules 1998 and the provisions of those rules that are applicable to the review of non‑delegated functions of registrars apply to a review for the purposes of this regulation.

[22.Omitted under the Reprints Act 1984 s. 7(4)(f).]

dline

 

Notes

1This reprint is a compilation as at 8 February 2007 of the Family Court Regulations 1998 and includes the amendments made by the other written laws referred to in the following table. The table also contains information about any reprint.

Compilation table

Citation

Gazettal

Commencement

Family Court Regulations 1998

25 Sep 1998 p. 5303‑9

26 Sep 1998 (see r. 2 and Gazette 25 Sep 1998 p. 5295)

Family Court Amendment Regulations 2002

29 Nov 2002 p. 5663-5

1 Dec 2002 (see r. 3 and Gazette 29 Nov 2002 p. 5651)

Family Court Amendment Regulations 2006

14 Jul 2006 p. 2560‑3

15 Jul 2006 (see r. 2 and Gazette 14 Jul 2006 p. 2559)

Reprint 1: The Family Court Regulations 1998 as at 9 Feb 2007 (includes amendments listed above)

 

Defined Terms

 

[This is a list of terms defined and the provisions where they are defined. The list is not part of the law.]

Defined TermProvision(s)

Centrelink3(1)

court3(1)

CPI number20(1)

earlier CPI number20(2)

Family Law Regulations3(1)

Family Law Rules3(1)

fee20(1), 20(2)

holder18(7a)

latest CPI number20(2)

relevant period20(1)

section3(1)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By Authority: JOHN A. STRIJK, Government Printer