Celebrating a win

Last Thursday evening the Adoption Amendment (Same-Sex Couples) Bill was passed by NSW Parliament.

This important reform would not have been possible without the considerable support and hard work of many individuals, community organisations, child welfare agencies and NSW parliamentarians.

The NSW Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby (GLRL) would like to recognise the advocacy and leadership of the past GLRL convenors. Special thanks must also go to Ghassan Kassisieh and Professor Jenni Millbank for their advocacy and research in same-sex parenting.

ACON, National Children and Youth Law Centre, Inner City Legal Centre, Women’s Legal Service, Hawkesbury Nepean Legal Centre, Barnardos, Uniting Care, Council of Social Services NSW, and Association of Child Welfare Agencies were instrumental promoters of adoption equality.

Many parliamentarians worked tirelessly to ensure the introduction and passage of adoption legislation. Sydney MP Clover Moore was responsible for introducing the Bill in June. Penny Sharpe, Don Harwin, Catherine Cusack, Trevor Khan, Linda Burney and Verity Firth worked across party divisions to ensure support for the Bill.

Premier Kristina Keneally and Opposition leader Barry O’Farrell not only permitted a conscience vote on the legislation, but also added their support to end unfair discrimination.

Thanks must also go to every MP who supported this Bill in the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council.

Finally, the GLRL would like to thank all members of the community who took action to remove the last piece of direct legislative discrimination against same-sex couples in NSW. We did it!