Couples thinking of contracting out of their rights under the new Property (Relationships) Act now have a model agreement to consider.

Associate Justice Minister Margaret Wilson says the model has been published as a regulation.

Some couples who wish to contract out and make their own arrangements for division of property on separation or death may find this model form meets their needs.

Couples using the form are still required by law to seek legal advice before signing up. Couples do not have to use the model agreement. They may instead use agreements drafted by their lawyers.

Margaret Wilson reminded those considering contracting out that this could be done from August 1 2001; although the other provisions of the law do not come into effect until 1 February 2002. The law provides for valid contracting out agreements made before August 1 to continue in force.

The new law generally provides for relationship property of married and defacto (including same sex) couples to be shared equally on separation or the death of a partner. The Act also allows compensation to be made where there are economic differences between the spouses or partners after the relationship is over.

Ends

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Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>