Queensland Consolidated Acts Queensland Consolidated Acts(1) Upon the chief executive, himself or herself or by the chief executive's duly authorised officer, signifying that the chief executive accepts guardianship of a child in respect of whom the consents required by section 19 to the child's adoption have been given or dispensed with or upon the expiration of 30 days from the date the chief executive or, as the case may be, the duly authorised officer receives such consents or notification that such consents have been dispensed with, whichever event first occurs, the chief executive shall be the guardian of the child for all purposes, other than the purposes of section 19, to the exclusion of all other persons until--
(a) an adoption order is made in respect of the child; or
(b) where such consents are given, any such consent is lawfully revoked; or
(c) another person becomes guardian pursuant to section 27A; or
(d) a court of competent jurisdiction, by order, makes other provision for the guardianship of the child.
(2) The chief executive, himself or herself or by the chief executive's duly authorised officer, may in writing release to a child's natural parents or 1 of them a child awaiting adoption.
(2A) Upon a release to a child's natural parents or 1 of them of a child awaiting adoption all consents given by the natural parents to the adoption of the child shall be deemed to be thereby lawfully revoked and the guardianship of the child, if it theretofore was in the chief executive, shall thereby pass to the persons or person to whom the child is released.
(3) Subsection (1) does not apply--
(a) to a child in the custody or under the guardianship of the chief executive for child protection under a child protection order under the Child Protection Act 1999; or
(b) to a child in respect of whom the chief executive has, within the period of 30 days referred to in that subsection, declined in writing to accept guardianship.
(4) Where the chief executive becomes guardian of a child pursuant to this section the chief executive may extend to and in respect of the child such benefits as the chief executive might have extended to or in respect of the child if the child were in the custody or under the guardianship of the chief executive for child protection under a child protection order under the Child Protection Act 1999.