Did you Know?

• An application for a Property Settlement can be made  at any time after separation, but must  be made  within 12 months of a divorce.

• The only reason for  a divorce in Australia is “irretrievable breakdown” of marriage. The court is not interested in reasons, all you need to show is that you have lived apart for at least a year (separation) before filing for divorce.

• The laws  now bring  separating defacto couples, on the division of property and the payment of spouse  maintenance, within the federal family  lawyer  regime under  the Family  Law  Act 1975.

• The Family  Court  of Australia and the Federal Magistrates Court  laws now  enable de facto couples to access, as married couples can currently access, the courts  for property and spousal maintenance matters as well as child-related proceedings.