Family Law Act 1975

There is established by this Part an Institute by the name of the Australian Institute of Family Studies.

There is to be a Director of the Institute.

The Institute consists of:

the Director; and

the staff referred to in section 114M.

The Institute does not have a legal identity separate from the Commonwealth.

For the purposes of the finance law (within the meaning of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013):

the Institute is a listed entity; and

the Director is the accountable authority of the Institute; and

the persons referred to in subsection (1B) are officials of the Institute; and

the purposes of the Institute include:

the functions of the Director referred to in subsection (2); and

the function of the Institute referred to in subsection (2A).

The functions of the Director are:

to promote, by the conduct, encouragement and co‑ordination of research and other appropriate means, the identification of, and development of understanding of, the factors affecting marital and family stability in Australia, with the object of promoting the protection of the family as the natural and fundamental group unit in society; and

to advise and assist the Minister in relation to the making of grants, and with the approval of the Minister to make grants, out of moneys available under appropriations made by the Parliament, for purposes related to the functions of the Institute and the supervising of the employment of grants so made.

The function of the Institute (other than the Director) is to assist the Director in the performance of his or her functions.

The Minister may:

request the Director to arrange for the Institute to engage in a particular activity (whether research or otherwise) in relation to a particular matter that is within the functions of the Institute; and

after consultation with the Director, specify the priority that is to be given to the activity.