EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY

ADOPTION OF CHILDREN (AMENDMENT) ORDINANCE 1988

No. 4, 1988

The Adoption of Children (Amendment) Ordinance 1988 amends the Adoption of Children Ordinance 1965 (“the Principal Ordinance”) to remove references to the “Director of Child Welfare”.  This office will cease to exist when the Child Welfare Ordinance 1957 is repealed by provisions of the Children’s Services Ordinance which are to commence operation shortly.  A new office of “Director of Welfare” will be established by the Children’s Services Ordinance.

The proposed Ordinance replaces references to the Director of Child Welfare in the Principal Ordinance with references to the Director of Welfare.

Details of the Ordinance are:

Section 1 deals with citation.

Section 2 provides that the Ordinance shall come into operation on such date as is fixed by the Minister by notice in the Gazette.

Section 3 deals with interpretation.

Section 4 amends section 6 of the Principal Ordinance.  The section as amended provides that “Director” means the Director of Welfare.

Section 5 amends section 64 of the Principal Ordinance by omitting the words “of Child Welfare” from sub section (1).