[a] In the second reading speech of the 1975 bill the Minister for Works, Des O'Neil, referred to a number of reasons the Western Australian Government preferred to keep a state-based family court (rather than referring family law matters to a Commonwealth court).

In that financial year, expenditure exceeded budget by $1.27M and by July 2008, the court was carrying a cash deficit position of almost $200,000.

[10] Elsewhere in Australia, the legal aspects of adoption are dealt with either in the Supreme or District Courts of each state and territory.

The court also releases information from past adoption cases at the request of the Department of Communities.

Officers at the court coordinate the processing of adoption applications and release of information as well as answering enquiries from the public.

After commencement of the Surrogacy Act 2008 on 1 March 2009, any person wishing to enter into a surrogacy arrangement must comply with all the procedures set out under the act and regulations if they propose to apply to the Family Court of Western Australia for a parentage order.

If a child is conceived through a surrogacy arrangement before the act came into effect, an application may be made to the Family Court of Western Australia for a parentage order provided the application is brought within 12 months of the child's birth and all the requirements set out in the act have been met.

[14] In addition to their judicial role in relation to family law matters, judges of the Family Court of Western Australia are often required after hours and on weekends to determine applications under the Telecommunications (Interception) Act from law enforcement agencies, relating to authorisations for carrying out telephone surveillance activities.