Section 1N — Property (Relationships) Act 1976: Principles

1N Principles The following principles are to guide the achievement of the purpose of this Act: (a) the principle that men and women have equal status, and their equality should be maintained and enhanced: (b) the principle that all forms of contribution to the marriage partnership, civil union, or the de facto relationship partnership, are treated as equal: (c) the principle that a just division of relationship property has regard to the economic advantages or disadvantages to the spouses or partners arising from their marriage, civil union, or de facto relationship or from the ending of their marriage, civil union, or de facto relationship: (d) the principle that questions arising under this Act about relationship property should be resolved as inexpensively, simply, and speedily as is consistent with justice. 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 (b) was amended, as from 26 April 2005, by section 3(4) Property (Relationships) Amendment Act 2005 (2005 No 19) by inserting the words “ 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(3) Property (Relationships) Amendment Act 2005 (2005 No 19) by inserting the words “ , civil union, ” after the word “ marriage ” wherever they appear.