Law Reform Commission > Completed projects > 1990-1999

Review of the Adoption of Children Act 1965                

Reference received: ​27 November 1992 

Report

​Report 81: Review of the Adoption of Children Act 1965 (NSW) [PDF, 1Mb], March 1997

Tabled in parliament: 23 October 1997

Legislative action: ​Adoption Act 2000

Judicial citation: ​Re W (Adoption) (1998) 23 FamLR 538
Re A (2000) 26 FamLR 317 (NSWSC) [20], [22], [42], [53]; Re A and B and the Adoption of Children Act (2003) 30 FamLR 387 (NSW SC) [16]; Re MJR (2003) 31 FamLR 50 (NSW SC) [7]; Re YC [2004] NSWSC 461 [9]; Re S [2004] NSWSC 687 [9], [13]; EC v Minister for Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (2004) FCR 438 [34]; Application of M and S (2004) 31 FamLR 415 (NSWSC) [16]-[18]; Re Y (2004) 62 NSWLR 465 [9]; Re H and the Adoption Act (2004) 62 NSWLR 245 [42]-[45]; Re Application of K [2005] NSWSC 248 [11]; Re Application of O [2005] NSWSC 1297 [49], [95]; Director-General, Department of Community Services v The Adoptive Parents [2005] NSWCA 385 [19], [33], [34]; Re DG and the Adoption Act 2000 [2006] NSWSC 968 [35]; Re DG and the Adoption Act 2000 [2007] NSWCA 241 [6]; Cheskes v Ontario (Attorney General (2007) 87 OR (3d) 581; Re L (a child [2008] NSWSC 235 [33]; Re Susan [2009] NSWSC 592 [53]; Sacrinity v Wolodzko [2010] FAMCA 1258 [45]

Research reports

​Research Report 6: Intercountry Adoption and Parent Support Groups, March 1997

Research Report 7: The Aboriginal Child Placement Principle, March 1997

Discussion paper

​Discussion Paper 34: Review of the Adoption of Children Act 1965 (NSW), April 1994 ​

Judicial citation: Re Application of K (1995) 36 NSWLR 477 at 488

Journal article: Penne, Watson, Janu, "Surrogacy Arrangements in Australia: Analysis of the Legal Framework" (1995) 9 Australian Journal of Family Law 200​

Issue paper

​Issue Paper 9: Review of the Adoption of Children Act 1965, May 1993 ​

Judicial citation: Re T [1996] 1 NZLR 368; Adoption of PAT [1995] NZFLR 817; Re T (An Adoption) [1996] 1 NZLR 368​

Terms of reference

The Commission is to review the current scope and operation of the Adoption of Children Act 1965 and in particular to consider:

  • the criteria for the selection of the adoptive parents, regulation of standards of practice and recognition of adoption agencies and support groups;
  • the relationship between adoption and other forms of permanent care;
  • intra-family adoption;
  • the relevance of reproduction technology and surrogacy to adoption law;
  • the relevance of Aboriginal customary law, and ethnic and racial heritage;
  • inter-country adoption and overseas orders of adoption having special regard to any international treaties or conventions to which Australia is a party; and
  • any related matter.