Changes to the Family Law Act start today to enable de facto couples (including same sex couples) to obtain property settlement rights in the Family Court and Federal Magistrates Court.
The changes apply in all states and territories except Western Australia and South Australia, but even there they apply to a limited degree.
When parents separate, one of the most important questions is how arrangements for children will be recorded. Will the agreement be kept flexible through a parenting plan, or formalised in legally binding consent orders? There is no single answer that suits every family. The right option depends on the level of trust between parents, the… Read More »Parenting plans vs consent orders explained
Queensland’s new sperm donor family limit was intended to create clarity, consistency and better access to donor sperm. Instead, guidance issued to IVF clinics has produced a result that appears to halve donor access for many lesbian couples. The legislation provides for a 10-family limit. Yet where two women are in a couple and seek… Read More »Sperm donor family limit in Queensland explained
The New South Wales Legislative Council fertility inquiry is examining difficult and practical questions about access to assisted reproductive treatment. Distance matters. Cost matters. Regulation matters. For many people trying to create a family, these are not abstract policy concerns. They can determine whether treatment is available at all. Among the issues before the inquiry… Read More »NSW fertility inquiry: surrogacy evidence under scrutiny
