Section 281 — Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia Act 2021: Chief Executive Officer may authorise officers or staff members to act as family counsellor or family dispute resolution practitioner

(1) The Chief Executive Officer may authorise an officer or staff member of the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia to provide family counselling under the Family Law Act 1975. (2) The Chief Executive Officer may authorise an officer or staff member of the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia to provide family dispute resolution under the Family Law Act 1975. (3) If an officer who is a family consultant also becomes a family counsellor, or family dispute resolution practitioner, because of an authorisation under this section: (a) section 11C of the Family Law Act 1975 (admissibility of communications with family consultants) does not apply to the officer at any time while the officer is acting as a family counsellor or family dispute resolution practitioner; and (b) the officer must not perform the functions of a family consultant in relation to particular proceedings, if the officer has conducted family counselling or family dispute resolution with a party to those proceedings.