Win for same-sex families

Win for same-sex families

After years of campaigning, gay rights groups are overjoyed at the passage of the Assisted Reproductive Technology Bill which passed through the upper house last week by a vote of 20 to 18.

A great cheer and applause were let out as the bill’s fate was revealed -” a narrow finish after being referred to committee for amendments after the second reading.

Although passing with changes to the initial legislation, Deputy Premier and Attorney-General Rob Hulls said the objective of the reforms remained intact.

-œFamilies come in all shapes and sizes and always have. This legislation was always about kids and ensuring that children born into same-sex families or as a result of surrogacy arrangements are not discriminated against, he said.

The legislation now means single women and lesbians have access to reproductive treatment in Victoria. Surrogates will be more readily able to access IVF as they no longer need to be deemed infertile to facilitate a surrogacy arrangement. The legislation also allows non-biological parents to be included on a child’s birth certificate, thus safeguarding their legal status for the first time.

Put to a conscience vote, Labor’s Adem Somyurek voted against the bill, while Liberal Bruce Atkinson was the only Coalition MP to cross the floor in support.

The Australian Christian Lobby hit out at Atkinson saying his comments in support of same-sex families -œstunned listeners and he should be -œbetter informed.
-œThe wishes of homosexuals to have children should not be placed above the inalienable rights of children to start out in life with a mother and a father, state director Rob Ward said.

Rainbow Families Council’s Felicity Marlowe said she was delighted with the result after years of campaigning and intense last-minute lobbying.

Marlowe has been instrumental in rallying the community around the debate, with around 30 parents and 12 children anxiously awaiting the result in the upper house chamber last Thursday.

-œThere was one moment when we all burst into tears, it was emotional, it is just an amazing thing, she told Southern Star.

She said women will no longer have the uncertainty she and her partner faced when starting a family.
-œThree children and five years later it’s a big thing to think that finally our family will be recognised under Victorian law and I’ll be able to put my name on the birth certificate.

-œIt’s going to be an amazing thing for our children to know we achieved this for them.

-œIt was truly a community effort, because everyone has written and emailed and visited their MPs and cajoled and begged, so it’s been an amazing effort over the last five years.

Victorian Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby co-convenor Hayley Conway said the decision to retain police checks for parents accessing IVF was disappointing, however the win was an -œincredible step forward.

-œIt is a pretty dull place most of the time so to see the place full of children and their parents who were really excited and had been working incredibly hard for very little reward other than what this actual legislation will give them is a pretty humbling experience.

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