Crowds rally to push for ART bill support

A colourful crowd of grandmothers, mothers and their children gathered on the steps of Victoria’s state parliament last Thursday to urge MPs to pass the Artificial Reproductive Technology (ART) Bill currently before the state’s upper house.

Around 150 people gathered to call for passage of the bill which will recognise non-birth parents and allow lesbian couples and single women access to IVF.

Former Family Court chief justice Alastair Nicholson spoke to families assembled, saying if the legislation does not pass it will be a pointless step back to bigotry.

Rally organiser Felicity Marlowe of the Rainbow Families Council urged lawmakers to consider the rights of children with the passage of the bill.

Despite talks of conservative MPs knocking the bill down in the upper house, Marlowe said the Council is still optimistic of success.

We’re going to work up until the very last minute, talking to as many upper house MPs as possible and encouraging the community to get family and friends involved-” that’s the best we can do, she told Sydney Star Observer.

There’s still time to talk to MPs about the impact of this bill.

The bill is subject to a conscience vote. The Liberal Party has denied claims pressure had been put on MPs to vote down the legislation.

Whatever goes on internally in the Liberal Party is for the Liberal Party to worry about and I think we can only hope that members of the Liberal Party listen to their constituents and listen to the broader community and realise these changes aren’t going to ruin the institution of the family. In fact they’re going to enhance it, Marlowe said.

If passed, the legislation will also allow a smoother process for couples, including gay fathers, seeking access to surrogacy and gaining parent status.

Liberal MPs who spoke to Sydney Star Observer about voting against the bill in the lower house said the surrogacy aspects of the bill were a bridge too far.

The bill is extremely broad so it’s easy to pick something out of the bill that you disapprove of, but it’s just as easy to pick something to hide your intolerance or ignorance about same-sex parented families, Marlowe said.

The bill will need majority support from 40 members of the Legislative Council. It is expected to go to a vote when parliament resumes on Tuesday.