The short version
The Family Law Amendment Act 2024 came into effect on 10 June 2025, bringing the most significant changes to property settlement in decades. The changes apply to all separating couples — married and de facto — whether you are negotiating privately, in mediation, or in court. They also apply to proceedings already underway, unless a final hearing had commenced before that date.
1. Pets are no longer treated as mere property
Before 10 June 2025, companion animals were assessed on their monetary value only. The 2025 amendments change this. Courts must now consider a specific list of factors when deciding who gets the pet: who was the primary caregiver, children’s bonds with the animal, each party’s financial capacity and living situation, and whether either party has been responsible for any animal abuse.
Importantly, courts cannot make shared-possession orders for pets. One party gets the pet.
Ready to model your asset split?
The free Property Split Calculator lets you enter your full asset pool and see an estimated split in real time — before your first legal conversation.
Open the calculator →2. Financial disclosure is now in the Act itself
Previously, the duty to disclose your financial situation was in the court rules. The 2025 amendments elevate this duty directly into the Family Law Act, increasing its prominence and the consequences of non-compliance.
Both parties must fully disclose their financial position — assets, debts, income, and superannuation — whether negotiating privately, in mediation, or in court. This duty is ongoing. If you fail to comply, courts now have explicit power to take this into account when making property orders.
3. Wastage is now a listed consideration
The amendments add “wastage” as a specific factor courts can consider. This covers situations where one party has recklessly or intentionally diminished assets — excessive gambling, extravagant spending after separation, or deliberately running down savings. If this applies to your situation, it can now be formally raised in your property settlement.
What it means practically
For most people, these changes do not fundamentally alter the framework. The four-step process — identify the pool, assess contributions, consider future needs, confirm just and equitable — remains the same. What changes is that several previously implicit factors are now explicit, particularly around pets, disclosure, and wastage.
To understand how the asset pool works in practice, see the full guide to property settlement. For financial modelling, the Property Split Calculator lets you work through the numbers before your first legal conversation.
Common questions
Do the June 2025 changes apply if I separated before June 2025?
Yes, in most cases. The changes apply to all new and existing proceedings, except where a final hearing had already commenced before 10 June 2025. If you are negotiating, in mediation, or have filed but not yet had a final hearing, the new framework applies.
What happens if my partner refuses to disclose their financial situation?
Under the new rules, non-disclosure can be taken directly into account in determining property orders. Courts can draw adverse inferences and adjust the settlement accordingly. If your partner is withholding financial information, seek legal advice promptly.
Are de facto couples covered by the 2025 changes?
Yes. The changes apply to both married and de facto couples under the federal Family Law Act. De facto couples in Western Australia are covered under state law, which has not yet fully adopted the federal amendments — seek specific WA legal advice if relevant.