EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
Minute No. 12 of 1990 - Attorney-General
Subject - Family Law Act 1975
Family Law (Child Abduction Convention)
Regulations (Amendment) 1990 No. 37
Subsection 125 (1) of the Family Law Act 1975 (the Act) empowers the Governor-General to make regulations, not inconsistent with the Act, prescribing all matters that are required or permitted by the Act to be prescribed or are necessary or convenient to be prescribed for carrying out or giving effect to the Act.
Section 111B of the Act provides that the regulations may make such provision as is necessary to enable the performance of the obligations of Australia, or to obtain for Australia any advantage or benefit, under the Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction signed at the Hague on 25 October 1980 (the Convention). The Family Law (Child Abduction Convention) Regulations were made to give effect to the Convention on 22 April 1986.
The Family Law (Child Abduction Convention) Regulations have been amended to extend the list of countries in Schedule 2 to include Belize. Belize, a small country on the southern peninsula of the North American Continent, acceded to the Convention on 22 June 1989. On 22 December 1989 Australia accepted the accession to the Convention by Belize. The Convention will enter into force between Australia and Belize on 1 March 1990. Australia now has obligations under the Convention to 13 countries.
Authority: Subsection 125 (1) of the Family Law Act 1975