South Australian Current Acts

FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS ACT 1975 - NOTES

Legislative history

Notes

• Please note—References in the legislation to other legislation or instruments or to titles of bodies or offices are not automatically updated as part of the program for the revision and publication of legislation and therefore may be obsolete.

• Earlier versions of this Act (historical versions) are listed at the end of the legislative history.

• For further information relating to the Act and subordinate legislation made under the Act see the Index of South Australian Statutes or www.legislation.sa.gov.au.

Principal Act and amendments

New entries appear in bold.

Year	No	Title	Assent	Commencement
1975	115	Family Relationships Act 1975	4.12.1975	29.1.1976 (Gazette 29.1.1976 p356)
1984	102	Family Relationships Act Amendment Act 1984	20.12.1984	14.2.1985 (Gazette 14.2.1985 p366)
1986	66	Family Relationships Act Amendment Act 1986	13.11.1986	13.11.1986
1988	2	Family Relationships Act Amendment Act 1988	3.3.1988	7.4.1988 (Gazette 7.4.1988 p856)
2006	43	Statutes Amendment (Domestic Partners) Act 2006	14.12.2006	Pt 2 (ss 4—7)—1.6.2007 (Gazette 26.4.2007 p1352)
2009	43	Reproductive Technology (Clinical Practices) (Miscellaneous) Amendment Act 2009	1.10.2009	Sch 1 (Pt 1)—1.9.2010 (Gazette 1.7.2010 p3338)
2009	64	Statutes Amendment (Surrogacy) Act 2009 as amended by 8/2010	26.11.2009	Pt 2 (ss 4—14) & Sch 1—26.11.2010: s 2
2010	8	Statutes Amendment (Surrogacy) Amendment Act 2010	8.7.2010	26.11.2010 immediately after 64/2009: s 2
2011	22	Family Relationships (Parentage) Amendment Act 2011	23.6.2011	15.12.2011 (Gazette 15.12.2011 p4987)
2011	27	Statutes Amendment (De Facto Relationships) Act 2011	21.7.2011	Pt 3 (s 5)—21.7.2011: s 2(1)
2012	22	Family Relationships (Surrogacy) Amendment Act 2012	7.6.2012	7.6.2012
2015	15	Family Relationships (Surrogacy) Amendment Act 2015	16.7.2015	Pt 2 (ss 3—9)—16.7.2015
2016	30	Family Relationships (Parentage Presumptions) Amendment Act 2016	23.6.2016	Pt 2 (s 4)—23.9.2016: s 2
2016	32	Statutes Amendment (Youth Court) Act 2016	30.6.2016	Pt 6 (ss 23—25)—1.1.2017 (Gazette 8.12.2016 p4903)
2016	35	Statutes Amendment (Gender Identity and Equity) Act 2016	4.8.2016	Pt 8 (s 33)—8.9.2016 (Gazette 8.9.2016 p3676)
2017	6	Statutes Amendment (Surrogacy Eligibility) Act 2017	15.3.2017	Pt 4 (ss 9—13)—21.3.2017 (Gazette 21.3.2017 p926)
2017	13	Statutes Amendment (Registered Relationships) Act 2017	26.4.2017	Pt 2 (ss 4—6)—1.8.2017 (Gazette 1.8.2017 p3039)
2019	31	Surrogacy Act 2019	7.11.2019	Sch 1 (cll 8 to 11)—1.9.2020 (Gazette 18.6.2020 p3392)
2019	46	Statutes Amendment (Legalisation of Same Sex Marriage Consequential Amendments) Act 2019	19.12.2019	Pt 7 (ss 15 to 17 & 19)—1.7.2020 (Gazette 30.4.2020 p838); s 18 immediately before Sch 1 (cl 10) of 31/2019—1.9.2020 (Gazette 18.6.2020 p3392)
2024	8	Assisted Reproductive Treatment (Posthumous Use of Material and Donor Conception Register) Amendment Act 2024	28.3.2024	Sch 1 (cl 5)—26.2.2025 (Gazette 28.11.2024 p4271)

Provisions amended since 3 February 1976

New entries appear in bold.

Entries that relate to provisions that have been deleted appear in italics.

Provision	How varied	Commencement
Pt 1
s 2	omitted under Legislation Revision and Publication Act 2002
s 3	amended by 102/1984 s 3	14.2.1985
	deleted by 2/1988 s 3	7.4.1988
s 5
s 5(1)	s 5 redesignated as s 5(1) by 22/2011 s 4(3)	15.12.2011
child born outside marriage	substituted by 102/1984 s 4(a)	14.2.1985
co-parent	inserted by 22/2011 s 4(1)	15.12.2011
the Court	deleted by 43/2006 s 4	1.6.2007
Court	inserted by 43/2006 s 4	1.6.2007
domestic partner	inserted by 22/2011 s 4(2)	15.12.2011
father	inserted by 102/1984 s 4(b)	14.2.1985
s 5(2)	inserted by 22/2011 s 4(3)	15.12.2011
Pt 2
s 7	amended by 22/2011 s 5(1), (2)	15.12.2011
s 8
s 8(1)	s 8 amended by 102/1984 s 5	14.2.1985
	s 8 amended and redesignated as s 8(1) by 22/2011 s 6(1), (2)	15.12.2011
	amended by 46/2019 s 15(1)—(3)	1.7.2020
s 8(2)	inserted by 22/2011 s 6(2)	15.12.2011
	substituted by 46/2019 s 15(4)	1.7.2020
s 9
s 9(1)	amended by 22/2011 s 7(1)—(6)	15.12.2011
s 9(4)	amended by 22/2011 s 7(7)	15.12.2011
s 10	amended by 64/2009 s 4	26.11.2010
	amended by 22/2011 s 8	15.12.2011
	amended by 31/2019 Sch 1 cl 8	1.9.2020
Pt 2A	inserted by 102/1984 s 6	14.2.1985
heading	amended by 43/2009 Sch 1 cl 1	1.9.2010
s 10A
s 10A(1)
fertilisation procedure	substituted by 2/1988 s 4	7.4.1988
	substituted by 43/2009 Sch 1 cl 2	1.9.2010
married woman or wife	deleted by 46/2019 s 16(1)	1.7.2020
qualifying relationship	inserted by 22/2011 s 9(1)	15.12.2011
	amended by 35/2016 s 33	8.9.2016
	substituted by 6/2017 s 9	21.3.2017
	amended by 46/2019 s 16(2)	1.7.2020
s 10A(2)	substituted by 46/2019 s 16(3)	1.7.2020
s 10A(3)	inserted by 22/2011 s 9(2)	15.12.2011
	amended by 46/2019 s 16(4)	1.7.2020
s 10B
s 10B(1)	substituted by 43/2009 Sch 1 cl 3	1.9.2010
s 10B(2)	amended by 66/1986 s 2	13.11.1986
	deleted by 2/1988 s 5	7.4.1988
s 10B(4)	inserted by 64/2009 s 5	26.11.2010
	deleted by 22/2011 s 10	15.12.2011
s 10C	substituted by 22/2011 s 11	15.12.2011
s 10C(2)	amended by 8/2024 Sch 1 cl 5(1)	26.2.2025
s 10C(3)	amended by 46/2019 s 17(1), (2)	1.7.2020
s 10C(3a)	inserted by 30/2016 s 4	23.9.2016
	amended by 6/2017 s 10	21.3.2017
	deleted by 46/2019 s 17(3)	1.7.2020
s 10C(4)	amended by 46/2019 s 17(4), (5)	1.7.2020
s 10C(5)	amended by 46/2019 s 17(6)	1.7.2020
s 10C(5a)	inserted by 8/2024 Sch 1 cl 5(2)	26.2.2025
s 10C(6)	amended by 46/2019 s 17(7), (8)	1.7.2020
s 10D before deletion by 22/2011
s 10D(3)	inserted by 43/2009 Sch 1 cl 4	1.9.2010
ss 10D and 10E	deleted by 22/2011 s 11	15.12.2011
s 10EA	inserted by 43/2009 Sch 1 cl 5	1.9.2010
s 10EA(1)	amended by 22/2011 s 12(1), (2)	15.12.2011
s 10EA(6)	amended by 22/2011 s 12(3)	15.12.2011
s 10EA(7a)	inserted by 31/2019 Sch 1 cl 9	1.9.2020
s 10EA(8)
Court	amended by 32/2016 s 23	1.1.2017
Pt 2B	inserted by 2/1988 s 6	7.4.1988
	deleted by 31/2019 Sch 1 cl 10	1.9.2020
Pt 2B Div 1
heading	inserted by 64/2009 s 6	26.11.2010
s 10F
commissioning parents	inserted by 15/2015 s 3(1)	16.7.2015
prescribed international surrogacy agreement	inserted by 15/2015 s 3(1)	16.7.2015
procuration contract	deleted by 15/2015 s 3(2)	16.7.2015
recognised surrogacy agreement	inserted by 64/2009 s 7	26.11.2010
	substituted by 15/2015 s 3(3)	16.7.2015
registered relationship	inserted by 6/2017 s 11	21.3.2017
State Framework for Altruistic Surrogacy or Framework	inserted by 15/2015 s 3(4)	16.7.2015
surrogacy contract	amended by 15/2015 s 3(5)	16.7.2015
surrogate mother	inserted by 15/2015 s 3(6)	16.7.2015
Pt 2B Div 1A	inserted by 15/2015 s 4	16.7.2015
Pt 2B Div 2
heading	inserted by 64/2009 s 8	26.11.2010
s 10G
s 10G(2) and (3)	deleted by 15/2015 s 5	16.7.2015
s 10G(4)	inserted by 64/2009 s 9	26.11.2010
	deleted by 15/2015 s 5	16.7.2015
s 10H	substituted by 15/2015 s 6	16.7.2015
Pt 2B Div 3	inserted by 64/2009 s 10	26.11.2010
s 10HA
s 10HA(1)
husband	deleted by 46/2019 s 18(1)	1.9.2020
married woman	deleted by 46/2019 s 18(2)	1.9.2020
Minister	deleted by 46/2019 s 18(3)	1.9.2020
prescribed relative	deleted by 15/2015 s 7(1)	16.7.2015
qualifying relationship	inserted by 46/2019 s 18(3)	1.9.2020
s 10HA(1a)	inserted by 46/2019 s 18(4)	1.9.2020
s 10HA(2)	amended by 22/2012 s 3	7.6.2012
	amended by 15/2015 s 7(2)—(7)	16.7.2015
	substituted by 6/2017 s 12(1)	21.3.2017
s 10HA(2a)	inserted by 6/2017 s 12(1)	21.3.2017
	amended by 46/2019 s 18(5)—(8)	1.9.2020
s 10HA(3)	amended by 15/2015 s 7(8), (9)	16.7.2015
	amended by 6/2017 s 12(2), (3)	21.3.2017
s 10HA(4)	deleted by 15/2015 s 7(10)	16.7.2015
s 10HA(5)	amended by 6/2017 s 12(4)	21.3.2017
s 10HA(6)	amended by 6/2017 s 12(5), (6)	21.3.2017
	amended by 46/2019 s 18(9)	1.9.2020
s 10HAB	inserted by 15/2015 s 8	16.7.2015
s 10HB
s 10HB(1)
commissioning parents	deleted by 15/2015 s 9(1)	16.7.2015
Court	amended by 32/2016 s 24	1.1.2017
s 10HB(2)	(c) deleted by 15/2015 s 9(2)	16.7.2015
s 10HB(9)	amended by 15/2015 s 9(3)	16.7.2015
	amended by 6/2017 s 13	21.3.2017
s 10HG(1)
Court	amended by 32/2016 s 25	1.1.2017
Pt 2B Div 4
heading	inserted by 64/2009 s 11	26.11.2010
Pt 3 before substitution by 43/2006
s 11
s 11(1)	amended by 102/1984 s 7	14.2.1985
Pt 3	substituted by 43/2006 s 5	1.6.2007
s 11
close personal relationship	amended by 13/2017 s 4(1)	1.8.2017
registered relationship	inserted by 13/2017 s 4(2)	1.8.2017
s 11A	substituted by 13/2017 s 5	1.8.2017
s 11B
s 11B(1)	amended by 13/2017 s 6(1), (2)	1.8.2017
s 11B(2a)	inserted by 13/2017 s 6(3)	1.8.2017
s 11B(3)	amended by 27/2011 s 5	21.7.2011
Pt 4
s 13	substituted by 43/2006 s 6	1.6.2007
s 13(4)	amended by 64/2009 s 12(1)—(3)	26.11.2010
s 14
s 14(1)	amended by 64/2009 s 13(1)	26.11.2010
s 14(2)	amended by 64/2009 s 13(2)	26.11.2010
s 15	inserted by 64/2009 s 14	26.11.2010
Sch 1	inserted by 46/2019 s 19	1.7.2020

Transitional etc provisions associated with Act or amendments

Statutes Amendment (Domestic Partners) Act 2006

7—Transitional provision

If, before the commencement of this section, a declaration has been made under Part 3 of the Family Relationships Act 1975 that a person was, on a certain date, the putative spouse of another, the declaration will, if the case requires, be taken to be that the person was, on that date, the domestic partner of the other.

Statutes Amendment (Surrogacy) Act 2009, Sch 1—Transitional provisions (as amended by Statutes Amendment (Surrogacy) Amendment Act 2010, s 4)

1—Existing agreements

(1) In this clause—

Court means the Youth Court of South Australia constituted of a Judge;

surrogacy contract means a surrogacy contract as defined by section 10F of the Family Relationships Act 1975.

(2) Subject to this clause, if the Court, on application under this clause, is satisfied that in the circumstances of the particular case it would be an appropriate course of action for the Court to exercise the powers conferred by this clause, the Court may determine that a surrogacy contract entered into before the commencement of this clause should have effect as a recognised surrogacy agreement under section 10HA of the Family Relationships Act 1975 (as enacted by this Act), despite the operation of Part 2B of that Act.

(3) An application under this clause—

(a) must be made by all parties to the surrogacy contract; and

(b) must be made within 15 months after the commencement of this clause.

(4) An application cannot be made under this clause if a child has been born as a result of the relevant pregnancy and the child is more than 10 years old on the day on which the Statutes Amendment (Surrogacy) Amendment Act 2010 comes into operation.

(5) An application may be made under this clause, and the Court may make an order under this clause, despite the operation of sections 10G and 10H of the Family Relationships Act 1975.

(6) The Attorney-General may intervene in any proceedings under this clause to make representations or tender evidence (or both).

(7) If the Court makes an order under this clause—

(a) the surrogacy contract will be taken to be a recognised surrogacy agreement validly entered into under section 10HA of the Family Relationships Act 1975; and

(b) a child within the contemplation or operation of the agreement will be taken to be a child born under the terms of a recognised surrogacy agreement; and

(c) the person or persons to whom custody or rights were to be surrendered under the surrogacy contract will be taken to be a commissioning parent or commissioning parents under a recognised surrogacy agreement; and

(d) the Court may consider and deal with an application under section 10HB of the Family Relationships Act 1975 (as enacted by this Act) as if it applied to the surrogacy contract (and to the parties to the surrogacy contract) and, if relevant, as if subsections (2)(c) and (5) of that section did not apply; and

(e) the Court may make any other related order as it thinks fit.

Family Relationships (Parentage) Amendment Act 2011, Sch 1—Transitional provision

1—Immunity

Despite a provision of the Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Act 1996, no liability attaches to a person for a failure to provide to the Registrar particulars of the person who is the father or co-parent of a child in the case where—

(a) the child was born before the commencement of this clause; and

(b) the person is only taken to be father or co-parent of the child by virtue of Part 2A of the Family Relationships Act 1975 (as amended by this Act).

Surrogacy Act 2019, Sch 1 Pt 5—Transitional and saving provisions etc

11—Continuation of recognised surrogacy agreements under Family Relationships Act 1975 as lawful surrogacy agreements

(1) A recognised surrogacy agreement under Part 2B of the Family Relationships Act 1975 that was in force immediately before the commencement of this clause—

(a) will, on the commencement of clause 10 of this Schedule, be taken to continue in force in accordance with its terms; and

(b) will be taken to be a lawful surrogacy agreement under this Act.

(2) Any counselling, certificate or other matter done under the Family Relationships Act 1975 in respect of a recognised surrogacy agreement continued under this clause will be taken to have effect as if it were counselling, a certificate or matter done under this Act.

(3) A reference in any Act or law, or contract or other instrument, to a recognised surrogacy agreement (being a recognised surrogacy agreement continued under this clause) will be taken to be a reference to the agreement as so continued.

Historical versions

Reprint No 1—1.7.1991
1.6.2007
1.9.2010
26.11.2010
21.7.2011
15.12.2011
7.6.2012
16.7.2015
8.9.2016
23.9.2016
1.1.2017
21.3.2017
1.8.2017
1.7.2020
1.9.2020