Adoption lobbying reaches fever pitch
With Sydney MP Clover Moore’s same-sex adoption bill to go before state Parliament in a matter of days, friends and foes of equality for same-sex couples are working hard to sway politicians.
The Australian Christian Lobby has established a website to funnel emails from opponents of the legislation to MPs.
The website, www.KidsRightsCount.org.au, hosts a video cartoon of a boy who complains his lesbian mothers want to keep male role models away from him, while text on the website implies that same-sex adoption is in breach of the UN Declaration of the Rights of the Child.
On the other side of the debate, the NSW Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby (GLRL) has contacted members encouraging them to email their MPs through the GLRL website.
“Clover Moore has introduced the Adoption Amendment (Same-Sex Couples) Bill to remove discrimination against same-sex couples in adoption law,” the email read.
“This Bill will most likely be debated when NSW Parliament resumes next week. If passed, this Bill will end the last piece of direct legislative discrimination against same-sex couples.
“Take action now and tell your local MP that adoption equality will promote the best interests of children and urge them to support the Bill. Prospective parents should be assessed on objective criteria, not on their sexual orientation.”
Meanwhile the NSW Greens have reiterated their support for full equality for same-sex couples.
Greens MLC Sylvia Hale, a member of the Parliamentary Committee which last year recommended reform of the Adoption Act to include same-sex couples, said all responsible, caring adults should be allowed to adopt, regardless of sexuality.
“The best interests of the child should be the sole consideration when deciding whether any couple or individual should be permitted to foster or adopt a child, not whether the parents are gay or lesbian,” Hale said.
“When considering this issue, the Parliament’s Law and Justice Committee received not one scrap of evidence to suggest that children fostered by same-sex couples were suffering harm.
“My Greens colleagues will be voting in the Parliament to eradicate the legislative anomaly that discriminates against people solely on the basis of their sexual orientation.”
On the Liberal side, the apparently undecided Davidson MP, Jonathan O’Dea, has set up an online survey calling for opinions on same-sex couple adoption from constituents. The survey can be found at www.2d.homeunix.com/couples
info: www.glrl.org.au/index.php/Take-Action/Current-Campaigns/Inaction-is-Unacceptable-Remove-Adoption-Discrimination-NOW
I strongly disagree that the government should pass the Adoption Amendment (Same-Sex Couples) Bill. The traditional mother & father`roles, satisfied by a woman & a man (respectively), have been appointed by the God who sustains all life. How dare we think that our wisdom is superior. It is already considered to be a tragedy when a child is denied either or both of these parental influences through adverse circumstances. This legislation paves the way for society to deliberately deny children traditional parental roles.
The fabric of our society is undeniably shaped by mothers & fathers through centuries of our ancestors. Highlighting the quality of loving care alone is a limited & narrow minded approach to this issue.
Thanks for all yoru hard work Clover Moore!