Unmarried couples to access Family Court
Posted
New South Wales has taken steps to give separating de facto couples the same rights as married couples who are going through a divorce.
The Federal Government has asked the states to give the Commonwealth the power to legislate for de facto relationships.
NSW Attorney-General John Hatzistergos says the move would give de facto couples the opportunity to have property and maintenance issues heard in the Federal Family Court
Mr Hatzistergos says NSW is the first to take the step towards de facto law reform.
"This means there will be a Family Court which will be able to deal with all of the consequences of family breakdowns, irrespective of whether they arise from a married relationship or a de facto relationship and irrespective of whether it is a same-sex or a non-same-sex situation," he said.
The changes also enable two mothers to be listed on a child's birth certificate from today.
Mr Hatzistergos announced yesterday that lesbian mothers could be listed retrospectively under the new laws, which only apply to children conceived through artificial fertilisation.
