Adoptee Rights and Legislation
Victoria: Regulatory Legislation Amendment (Reform) Bill 2025
Changes have recently been made to adoption legislation in Victoria – with no public notification or consultation. The Regulatory Legislation Amendment (Reform) Bill 2025 introduced significant changes to the Adoption Act 1984 including widening of already existing...
Adoption and Human Rights: Can Adoption Be Justified?
Can the limitation of rights that adoption requires be justified? Adoption is rarely examined through a human rights lens in Australia – despite the far-reaching consequences it can have on an individual’s fundamental freedoms. While forced adoption has received some...
Grounds for a Discharge of Adoption – Comparison by State
State by State State Grounds for a discharge of adoption – Comparison by State Legislation ACT 1993 39L *the adoption order or any consent to the adoption was obtained by fraud, duress, or other improper means, or * 1 (b) there are other circumstances that justify...
Adoption Gag Laws – Comparison by State
*Note – the definition of “child” in most of the Adoption Acts is someone who is either under 18 - or - an adopted person of any age. State Legislation Penalty Imprisonment ACT SECT 97 Australian Capital Territory - Adoption Act 1993 - Section 97 Restriction on...
Status of Person after Discharge is Made – Comparison by State
State Status of person after discharge – Comparison by State Legislation ACT 1993 39L (8) Subject to any order made under subsection (7) and to section 43 (3), the rights, privileges, obligations, liabilities and relationships under the law of the Territory of the...
Powers to Seal Birth Records Forever – Comparison by State
Apart from the numerous other contraventions of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) enabled by the various Adoption Acts of Australia, the differences on crucial points between the states and territories illustrate the arbitrary nature of...
Notification Requirements for Discharge of Adoption – Comparison by State
State by State State Notification Requirements & Other parties in discharge of adoption – Comparison by State & Territory Legislation ACT 1993 39L (5) A discharging order must not be made unless the applicant has, not later than 28 days before the return date...
