Family Law (Child Abduction Convention) Regulations (Amendment) 1995 No. 334
EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
STATUTORY RULES 1995 No. 334
Issued by the Authority of the Attorney-General
Family Law Act 1975
Family Law (Child Abduction Convention) Regulations (Amendment)
Subsection 125(1) of the Family Law Act 1975 (the Act) empowers the Governor-General to make regulations for the purposes of the Act.
Section 111B of the Act provides that the regulations may make such provision as is necessary to enable Australia to perform its obligations under the 1980 Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction (the Convention).
The objects of the Convention are to secure the prompt return of children wrongfully removed to or retained in any Convention country, and to ensure that rights of custody and access to children under the laws of a Convention country are effectively respected in the other Convention countries. On 22 April 1986, the Family Law (Child Abduction Convention) Regulations were made to give effect to the Convention for Australia.
Proposed Regulation 2 would extend the list of countries in Schedule 2 of the Regulations by specifying Italy, Cyprus and Saint Kitts and Nevis as additional Convention countries in respect of which the Convention has entered into force for Australia.