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2Interpretation

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,—
affiliation order includes an order declaring a person to be a parent of a child (however the order is described, and whether or not it also provides for the maintenance of the child)
blood sample means any of the following, taken in accordance with normal medical procedures:
1. a fingerprick sample (that is, a sample of capillary blood taken from the tip of a finger or thumb); or
2. a venous sample (that is, a sample of venous blood); or
3. any other sample of blood
buccal sample means a sample of epithelial cells from inside the mouth taken by a device, or provided by other means
certified copy, in relation to an order of a court, means a copy of the order certified by the proper officer of the court to be a true copy
child of the de facto relationship means a child of both de facto partners, and includes, in relation to any proceedings under this Part, a child (whether or not a child of either de facto partner) who was a member of the family of the de facto partners at the time when they ceased to live together or at the time immediately before the institution of proceedings, whichever first occurred
child of the marriage—
1. in relation to a marriage (other than a void marriage)—
  1. means a child of both spouses together; and
  2. includes, in relation to any proceedings under this Act, a child (whether or not a child of either spouse) who was a member of the family of the spouses at the time when they ceased to live together or at the time immediately preceding the institution of the proceedings, whichever first occurred; and
2. in relation to a void marriage—
  1. means a child of the parties to the void marriage; and
  2. includes, in relation to any proceedings under this Act, a child (whether or not a child of either party to the void marriage) who was a member of the family of the parties to the void marriage at the time when those parties ceased to live together or at the time immediately preceding the institution of the proceedings, whichever first occurred
Commonwealth country includes—
1. the Republic of Ireland; and
2. a territory for whose international relations the Government of a country that is a member of the Commonwealth is responsible; and
3. the Cook Islands; and
4. Niue; and
5. Tokelau
Convention country—
1. means a country that is a party to the United Nations Convention for the Recovery of Maintenance Abroad done at New York on 20 June 1956; but
2. does not include Australia
country includes any State, territory, province, or other part of a country
court, in Part 8, includes any body or person exercising judicial functions, outside New Zealand, in relation to maintenance orders
deduction notice means a deduction notice issued under section 110
designated country means a country specified as a designated country by a notice given under section 135
DNA profile, in relation to a person (person A), means information derived from an analysis of a sample of genetic material obtained from person A, being information—
1. that is clearly identifiable as relating to person A; and
2. that is able to be compared with information obtained from an analysis (using the same technique) of another sample of genetic material obtained from another person (person B) for the purpose of determining, with reasonable certainty, whether or not the relationship of natural parent and child exists between person A and person B
domestic benefit means a benefit that is—
1. sole parent support granted under the Social Security Act 2018; or
2. jobseeker support granted under the Social Security Act 2018; or
3. an emergency benefit granted under that Act, and that corresponds to a benefit in paragraph (a) or (b)
Family Court means the division of the District Court known, in accordance with section 4 of the Family Court Act 1980, as the Family Court
Family Court Judge means a Family Court Judge appointed under section 5 of the Family Court Act 1980; and includes the Principal Family Court Judge
interim order, in relation to maintenance, means an order made under section 82
maintenance means the provision of money, property, and services; and includes—
1. in respect of a child, provision for the child's education and training to the extent of the child's ability and talents; and
2. in respect of a deceased person, the cost of the deceased person's funeral
maintenance agreement means—whether or not the document in which an agreement to which paragraph (a) or paragraph (b) or paragraph (d) applies is embodied provides also for the separation of the parties to a marriage or civil union or for the role of providing day-to-day care for a child
1. a written agreement made between spouses or civil union partners, and providing for the payment by either party of a periodical sum of money or lump sum of money or both towards the maintenance of the other party; or
2. a written agreement made between the parties to a marriage or civil union that has been dissolved, and providing for the payment by either party of a periodical sum of money or lump sum of money or both towards the maintenance of the other party; or
4. a written agreement made between any persons who acknowledge themselves to be the parents of a child; and providing for the payment by either parent of a periodical sum of money or lump sum of money or both towards the maintenance of the other parent, where the parties—
  1. are not married to, or in a civil union with, each other; and
  2. have never been married to, or in a civil union with, each other or (if they have been married to, or in a civil union with, each other) have had their marriage or civil union dissolved before the conception of the child—
maintenance order—
1. means an order or interim order made under Part 6 for the payment of maintenance; and includes—
  2. in Part 8, a subsisting order (including an order in or consequent on an affiliation order) for the payment by any person of a periodical sum of money towards the maintenance of a person whom the first-mentioned person is, according to the law in force in the place where the order is made, liable to maintain; and
  3. in Part 8, a subsisting order of the kind described in section 78(1)(b) or (2); and
2. where an order within the meaning of paragraph (a) has been varied, means the order as varied and all orders by which it has been varied
marriage includes a union in the nature of marriage that—where the law of the country in which each of the parties is domiciled at the time of the union then permits polygamy
1. is entered into outside New Zealand; and
2. is at any time polygamous,—
parentage tests means tests carried out on blood samples or buccal samples to help to determine the parentage of a child
paternity order means an order made under section 51
proceedings means proceedings before a court
property includes real and personal property, and any estate or interest in any real or personal property, and any debt, and any thing in action, and any other right or interest
report on parentage tests means a report compiled under section 54
responsible authority, in relation to a country other than New Zealand, means the appropriate authority in that country for the discharge of the functions contemplated by Part 8 in relation to that authority
Secretary means the chief executive of the Ministry of Justice
separation order means a separation order made under Part 3
social worker means—
1. a social worker employed as such in the department for the time being responsible for the administration of the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989; or
2. a community officer appointed under section 4 of the Maori Community Development Act 1962; or
3. an honorary community officer appointed under section 5 of the Maori Community Development Act 1962.

Notes

Section 2 approved marriage or civil union guidance organisation or counselling organisation: repealed, on 31 March 2014, by section 4(a) of the Family Proceedings Amendment Act (No 2) 2013 (2013 No 80).
Section 2 attachment order: repealed, on 31 March 2014, by section 4(b) of the Family Proceedings Amendment Act (No 2) 2013 (2013 No 80).
Section 2 blood sample: inserted, on 1 July 2005, by section 150 of the Care of Children Act 2004 (2004 No 90).
Section 2 blood tests: repealed, on 1 July 2005, by section 150 of the Care of Children Act 2004 (2004 No 90).
Section 2 buccal sample: inserted, on 1 July 2005, by section 150 of the Care of Children Act 2004 (2004 No 90).
Section 2 charging order: repealed, on 31 March 2014, by section 4(c) of the Family Proceedings Amendment Act (No 2) 2013 (2013 No 80).
Section 2 child of the civil union: repealed, on 31 March 2014, by section 4(d) of the Family Proceedings Amendment Act (No 2) 2013 (2013 No 80).
Section 2 child of the de facto relationship: inserted, on 1 July 2005, by section 149 of the Care of Children Act 2004 (2004 No 90).
Section 2 child of the marriage paragraph (a): replaced, on 19 August 2013, by section 9 of the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Act 2013 (2013 No 20).
Section 2 Convention country: replaced, on 1 July 2000, by section 37 of the Child Support Amendment Act 1999 (1999 No 81).
Section 2 counsellor: repealed, on 31 March 2014, by section 4(e) of the Family Proceedings Amendment Act (No 2) 2013 (2013 No 80).
Section 2 DNA profile: inserted, on 1 July 2005, by section 150 of the Care of Children Act 2004 (2004 No 90).
Section 2 domestic benefit: replaced, on 26 November 2018, by section 459 of the Social Security Act 2018 (2018 No 32).
Section 2 employer: repealed, on 31 March 2014, by section 4(f) of the Family Proceedings Amendment Act (No 2) 2013 (2013 No 80).
Section 2 family chattels: repealed, on 31 March 2014, by section 4(g) of the Family Proceedings Amendment Act (No 2) 2013 (2013 No 80).
Section 2 Family Court: replaced, on 1 March 2017, by section 261 of the District Court Act 2016 (2016 No 49).
Section 2 Family Court Judge: amended, on 1 March 2017, by section 261 of the District Court Act 2016 (2016 No 49).
Section 2 family home: repealed, on 31 March 2014, by section 4(h) of the Family Proceedings Amendment Act (No 2) 2013 (2013 No 80).
Section 2 maintenance agreement: amended, on 1 July 2005, by section 151 of the Care of Children Act 2004 (2004 No 90).
Section 2 maintenance agreement: amended, on 26 April 2005, by section 44(1) of the Civil Union Act 2004 (2004 No 102).
Section 2 maintenance agreement: amended, on 1 July 1992, by section 2(2) of the Family Proceedings Amendment Act 1991 (1991 No 144).
Section 2 maintenance agreement paragraph (a): amended, on 26 April 2005, by section 44(2) of the Civil Union Act 2004 (2004 No 102).
Section 2 maintenance agreement paragraph (b): amended, on 26 April 2005, by section 44(1) of the Civil Union Act 2004 (2004 No 102).
Section 2 maintenance agreement paragraph (c): repealed, on 1 July 1992, by section 2(1) of the Family Proceedings Amendment Act 1991 (1991 No 144).
Section 2 maintenance agreement paragraph (d)(i): amended, on 26 April 2005, by section 44(2) of the Civil Union Act 2004 (2004 No 102).
Section 2 maintenance agreement paragraph (d)(ii): amended, on 26 April 2005, by section 44(2) of the Civil Union Act 2004 (2004 No 102).
Section 2 maintenance agreement paragraph (e): repealed, on 1 July 1992, by section 2(1) of the Family Proceedings Amendment Act 1991 (1991 No 144).
Section 2 maintenance order paragraph (a)(i): repealed, on 1 July 1992, by section 2(3) of the Family Proceedings Amendment Act 1991 (1991 No 144).
Section 2 matrimonial home: repealed, on 1 February 2002, by section 3 of the Family Proceedings Amendment Act 2001 (2001 No 7).
Section 2 mediation conference: repealed, on 31 March 2014, by section 4(i) of the Family Proceedings Amendment Act (No 2) 2013 (2013 No 80).
Section 2 parentage tests: inserted, on 1 July 2005, by section 150 of the Care of Children Act 2004 (2004 No 90).
Section 2 registered maintenance agreement: repealed, on 1 July 1992, by section 2(4) of the Family Proceedings Amendment Act 1991 (1991 No 144).
Section 2 report on blood tests: repealed, on 1 July 2005, by section 150 of the Care of Children Act 2004 (2004 No 90).
Section 2 report on parentage tests: inserted, on 1 July 2005, by section 150 of the Care of Children Act 2004 (2004 No 90).
Section 2 salary or wages: repealed, on 31 March 2014, by section 4(j) of the Family Proceedings Amendment Act (No 2) 2013 (2013 No 80).
Section 2 Secretary: inserted, on 1 July 1995, by section 10(1) of the Department of Justice (Restructuring) Act 1995 (1995 No 39).
Section 2 Secretary: amended, on 1 October 2003, pursuant to section 14(1) of the State Sector Amendment Act 2003 (2003 No 41).
Section 2 social worker paragraph (a): replaced, on 1 April 1990, by section 36(3) of the Social Welfare (Transitional Provisions) Act 1990 (1990 No 26).
Section 2 social worker paragraph (a): amended, on 7 August 2020, by section 135 of the Public Service Act 2020 (2020 No 40).
Section 2 social worker paragraph (a): amended, on 14 July 2017, by section 149 of the Children, Young Persons, and Their Families (Oranga Tamariki) Legislation Act 2017 (2017 No 31).
Section 2 social worker paragraph (a): amended, on 1 October 1999, by section 13 of the Department of Child, Youth and Family Services Act 1999 (1999 No 82).