Commentary on Sections Part 3 – Miscellaneous and Supplementary Section 150: Search and inspection of the register by adoption agencies
Subsection (1) provides for regulations to allow for the search and inspection of the register by adoption agencies where the adoption agency is acting on behalf of a child who is suitable for adoption, to assist the agency in finding prospective adopters with whom it would be appropriate for the child to be placed, and where an adoption agency is acting on behalf of prospective adopters who are suitable to adopt a child, to assist the agency in finding a child appropriate for adoption by them. The regulations may restrict access to certain parts of the register only, or only to specified content on the register (subsection (2)) and the regulations may also set out terms and conditions of access to the register (subsection (3)). Subsection (4) provides that regulations may prescribe the steps that adoption agencies must follow in relation to the information they have received through their search of the register. Subsection (5) provides that the regulations may prescribe the payment of a fee to the Department or the registration organisation by adoption agencies for the searching or inspecting of the register.