Adoption Act 2009

The parties to an adoption plan are the prospective adoptive parents or adoptive parents and any birth parent who wishes to be a party.

The parties to an adoption plan may also include—

the child, if the chief executive considers it would be appropriate having regard to all the circumstances including the child’s age and maturity; or

a representative for the child; or

for an intercountry adoption—the competent authority for the relevant country, the chief executive or another appropriate entity.

The chief executive (child safety) must be a party to an adoption plan required under section 171.

If no birth parent wishes to be a party to an adoption plan required under section 172, the chief executive must be a party to the plan.