Speaking in Parliament, the then Minister for Family and Community Services described the Act was intended to correct the problem of 'genealogical bewilderment'. Many people, he said, 'would argue that without knowledge of your origins, you cannot truly know who you are'.
The provisions of the Act only came into effect when adoptees reached the age of 18. The Act was not intended to reduce the rights of adoptive parents to control the information their children received during their childhood.
After this Act was Amended in 1995 a Reunion and Information Register was created to facilitate reunions between adopted persons, birth parents and other persons (if desired by the persons concerned). The Post-Adoption Resource Centre was created by the Benevolent Society to assist adoptees and birth parents find each other.
This Act was repealed by the Adoption Act 2000, which came into effect in 2003.
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The Find & Connect Support Service can help people who lived in orphanages and children's institutions look for their records.
Last updated:
29 July 2021
Cite this: http://www.findandconnect.gov.au/guide/nsw/NE01097
First published by the Find & Connect Web Resource Project for the Commonwealth of Australia, 2011
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