Section 1M — Property (Relationships) Act 1976: Purpose of this Act

1M Purpose of this Act The purpose of this Act is— (a) to reform the law relating to the property of married couples and civil union couples, and of couples who live together in a de facto relationship: (b) to recognise the equal contribution of husband and wife to the marriage partnership, of civil union partners to the civil union, and of de facto partners to the de facto relationship partnership: (c) to provide for a just division of the relationship property between the spouses or partners when their relationship ends by separation or death, and in certain other circumstances, while taking account of the interests of any children of the marriage or children of the civil union or children of the de facto relationship. The heading to Part 2, sections 1M and 1N, and the heading preceding section 2 were inserted, as from 1 February 2002, by section 7 Property (Relationships) Amendment Act 2001 (2001 No 5). See Part 9 of this Act as to the transitional and saving provisions. Paragraph (a) was amended, as from 26 April 2005, by section 3(4) Property (Relationships) Amendment Act 2005 (2005 No 19) by inserting the words “ and civil union couples, ” after the words “ married couples ” . Paragraph (b) was amended, as from 26 April 2005, by section 3(4) Property (Relationships) Amendment Act 2005 (2005 No 19) by inserting the words “ of civil union partners to the civil union, ” after the words “ marriage partnership, ” . Paragraph (c) was amended, as from 26 April 2005, by section 3(1) Property (Relationships) Amendment Act 2005 (2005 No 19) by substituting the word “ partners ” for the words “ de facto partners ” . Paragraph (c) was amended, as from 26 April 2005, by section 3(4) Property (Relationships) Amendment Act 2005 (2005 No 19) by inserting the words “ or children of the civil union ” after the words “ children of the marriage ” .