Gone Missing

Australian Federal Police, National Missing Persons Coordination Centre (2013) <http://www.missingpersons.gov.au/missingpersons/overview.aspx>.

Central Coast CLC, Legal Advice and Services; Loddon Campaspe Community Legal Centre, Safe Keeping: A Guide to Managing the Affairs of Missing Persons (2010) <http://lcclc.org.au/programs/publications/>; Caxton Legal Centre, Missing Persons (2014) <https://caxton.org.au/self_help_kits.html>.

These figures are based on information publicly available on CLC websites relating to missing persons.

Community Legal Service Information System (‘CLSIS’), the national data collection software program utilised by CLCs, does not contain a specific category to record legal advice related to missing persons.

Chard v Chard (1956) 259, 272.

Axon v Axon (1937) 59 CLR 395.

Re Bennett [2006] QSC 250.

If the Court grants a presumption of death, that person's relatives may then apply to the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages for a death certificate. Obtaining a presumption of death in Queensland is the equivalent of a person having died in that state therefore their death must be registered and a death certificate issued, Births Deaths and Marriages Registration Act 2003 (Qld), s 26.

Such evidence may be direct, circumstantial or inferred, Re Parker [1995] 2 Qd R 617.

Re Parker [1995] 2 Qd R 617, 621.

Axon v Axon (1937) 59 CLR 395.

Chard v Chard [1956] 259, 272.

Axon v Axon (1937) 59 CLR 395, 404–5.

Re Bennett [2006] QSC 250.

Re Parker [1995] 2 Qd R 617.

Re Parker [1995] 2 Qd R 617; Re Bennett [2006] QSC 250.

Axon v Axon (1937) 59 CLR 395.

Guardianship and Administration Act 2000 (Qld), s 12.

Ibid, s 33.

Ibid, s 6.

QCAT, Guardianship for Adults, Application Process (2014) <http://www.qcat.qld.gov.au/matter-types/guardianship-for-adults-matters/application-process>.

Public Trustee Act 1978 (Qld), s 103.

Ibid s 104(4).

Payne Malcom , ‘Understanding “Going Missing”’ (1995) 25 British Journal of Social Work, 333, 343–5.

Ibid.

VLRC's Review of the Guardianship and Administration Act 1986 (Vic).

Guardianship and Administration Act 1986 (Vic), part 5A.

Victoria , Parliamentary Debates, Legislative Assembly, 12 August 2010.

Guardianship and Administration Act 1986 (Vic), s 60AB(2); Guardianship and Management of Property Act 1991 (ACT), s 8AA(1); Trustee and Guardian Act 2009 (NSW), s 54(2).

Those relevant bodies being VCAT, ACAT or the NSW Supreme Court.

Victoria , Parliamentary Debates, Legislative Assembly, 12 August 2010.

Ibid.

Guardianship and Administration Act 1986 (Vic), s 60A1 (1)(d)(1A).

Presumption of Death Act 2013 (UK) s 23.

Campaign was run by the organisation Missing People. See <www.missingpeople.org.uk>.

Presumption of Death Act 2013 (UK) s 20(1).

Ibid s 1(1)(a).

The UK cites cases establishing this common law period in Re Phene's Trust (1870) LR 5 Ch. 139; Laws of England (2nd ed.), Vol XIII, pp 630–1; for Australia see Axon v Axon (1937) 59 CLR 395, 404–5.

Presumption of Death Act 2013 (UK) s 2.

Ibid s 5.