Families Commission Act 2003

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Commission's functions

7. Commission's main function

1. The Commission's main function is to act as an advocate for the interests of families generally.
2. That function does not include acting as an advocate for the interests of a particular family or particular families in connection with a particular case or issue.
3. In performing that function, the Commission must identify and have regard to factors that help to maintain or enhance either or both of the following:
   
   1. families' resilience:
   2. families' strengths.

8. Commission's additional functions

In order to perform its main function stated in section 7, the Commission has the following additional functions:

1. to encourage and facilitate informed debate, by any of the following persons, on matters relating to the interests of families:
   
   1. representatives of government, academic, and community sectors; and
   2. members of the public:
2. to increase public awareness and promote better under-standing of matters relating to the interests of families, for example, the following matters:
   
   1. the importance of stable family relationships (including those between parties to a marriage[, civil union,] or a de facto relationship); and
   2. the importance of the parenting role; and
   3. the rights and responsibilities of parents:
3. to encourage and facilitate the development and provision, by Ministers of the Crown, departments of State, and other instruments of the Executive Government, of policies designed to promote or serve the interests of families:
4. to consider, and to report and make recommendations on, any matter (for example, a proposed government policy) relating to families that is referred to it by any Minister of the Crown:
5. to stimulate and promote research into any matter relating to the interests of families, for example,—
   
   1. by collecting and disseminating information or research about families:
   2. by advising on areas where further research or information about families should be undertaken or collected:
   3. by entering into contracts or arrangements for research or information about families to be undertaken or collected:
6. to consult with, or to refer a matter to, any 1 or more other official bodies or statutory officers, if the Commission considers it necessary or desirable to do so for the proper performance of any or all of its other functions:
7. Repealed