Same-sex adoption debate in Legislative Council resumes

Update (10:10pm): Debate adjourned at 10:10pm in the Legislative Council without a vote. Debate will  likely continue tomorrow, with a vote expected after debate has finished. At this stage it is still not clear which way MLCs are leaning or whether further amendments will be necessary to pass the bill.

Update (5:45pm): Debate in the Legislative Council on Clover Moore’s same-sex adoption bill has resumed at 5.45pm and can be watched online at- http://stream.ac3.com.au/NSWLC

Debate will go until 6.30pm, and then begin again at 8pm.

4pm: Debate on Clover Moore’s bill to allow same-sex couple adoption  began in the Legislative Council this afternoon.

Debate began around 3pm but was suspended after an hour to make way for question time.

The Rev. Fred Nile and Dr Gordon Moyes spoke against the bill, as did Liberal MLC Marie Ficcara.

Labor MLC Penny Sharpe introduced the bill as a private members bill on behalf of Clover Moore but is yet to speak on it.

Liberal MLC Robyn Parker is the only person to have spoken in favour of the bill so far, but with only a handful of MLCs to speak at this point this is not an indication of which direction Council members may be leaning.

If debate resumes later this evening readers can view a webcast of happenings in the Legislative Council at- http://stream.ac3.com.au/NSWLC