12   Assessment of applicants for overseas adoption

(1)  Without limiting the grounds on which the Director-General may decide not to assess an applicant under section 65A of the Act, the Director-General may decide not to assess an applicant if, in the Director-General’s opinion, the applicant does not satisfy any one or more of the requirements or criteria referred to in clause 9.

(2)  In assessing an applicant to adopt a child under section 65A of the Act, the Director-General is to have regard to whether the applicant satisfies:

(a)  any relevant requirements of Division 1 of Part 4 of the Act, and

(b)  the criteria referred to in clause 9 for the time being in force, and

(c)  the criteria (if any) for the time being laid down in the place from which a child is proposed to be adopted for the determination of an application for the adoption of such a child, being criteria laid down by a person who has lawful authority in that place to lay down such criteria.

(3)  The Director-General may, after assessing an applicant in accordance with subclause (2):

(a)  approve or approve subject to conditions, or

(b)  decline to approve,

      the applicant as suitable to adopt a child or a particular child.

(4)  The Director-General is to advise the applicant of the decision by notice in writing served personally or by post.

(5)  The notice is to be accompanied by a copy of the report concerning the applicant made by the Director-General under section 65A of the Act.