The Court made adoption orders in favour of a sole adoptive parent, dispensing with both birth parents' consent under s 67(1)(d) of the Adoption Act 2000 (NSW) on the basis that the child had formed a stable relationship with the carer and adoption would promote the child's welfare. The Court also declared paternity based on 99.99993% DNA probability under s 21(2) of the Status of Children Act 1996 (NSW) and ordered inclusion of the birth father on the birth register. The Paternal Adoption Plan was registered notwithstanding the birth father's refusal to sign it, the Court holding that a non-consenting birth parent is not a 'party' to the adoption for the purposes of s 50 of the Adoption Act and therefore their signature is not required for registration.
The full text is available to signed-in members.