Section 12G — Family Law Act 1975: Obligations on family counsellors, family dispute resolution practitioners and arbitrators

(1) A family counsellor, family dispute resolution practitioner or arbitrator who deals with a married person considering instituting: (a) proceedings for a divorce order in relation to the marriage; or (b) financial or Part VII proceedings in relation to the marriage; must give the married person (and in appropriate cases, that person’s spouse) documents containing the information prescribed under 12C (about reconciliation). Note: For other obligations of family counsellors and family dispute resolution practitioners in relation to Part VII matters, see sections 60D and 63DA. Those sections do not apply to arbitrators. (2) A family counsellor, family dispute resolution practitioner or arbitrator does not have to comply with subsection (1), if he or she: (a) has reasonable grounds to believe that the person has already been given documents containing the prescribed information; or (b) considers that there is no reasonable possibility of a reconciliation between the parties to the marriage.