A Call for National Reform: Stephen Page’s Submission on Surrogacy to the ALRC
Friday July 11, 2025

A Call for National Reform: Stephen Page’s Submission on Surrogacy to the ALRC

Friday, July 11, 2025

Australia’s surrogacy laws remain inconsistent and outdated, varying widely between states and lacking a unified, national approach. In response to the Australian Law Reform Commission’s review, renowned family and fertility lawyer Stephen Page has submitted a detailed and passionate proposal for reform.

Drawing from decades of experience, Stephen advocates for a surrogacy framework that is ethical, inclusive, and centred on the rights and well-being of all parties—particularly the children born through surrogacy. His submission highlights the urgent need for legal clarity, support for intended parents and surrogates, and a system that reflects modern Australian families.

Download the full submission to read Stephen Page’s expert recommendations and learn why national surrogacy reform is not only necessary—but long overdue.

DOWNLOAD THE PAPER

Things to Read, Watch & Listen
In Surrogacy, Always Have a Back-Up Plan

In Surrogacy, Always Have a Back-Up Plan

Australians pursuing international surrogacy should always have a contingency plan. This article explains why planning is essential, outlines the real risks families face when surrogacy crosses borders, and provides a practical checklist to protect children from becoming stateless or stranded. Why a back-up plan matters When people think about international surrogacy they often imagine a… Read More »In Surrogacy, Always Have a Back-Up Plan

Bruce Provan's video on how to minimise the cost if separation and divorce

How to Minimise the Cost of Separation & Divorce

Separation can quickly become an expensive, emotionally draining process, or it can be managed in a way that protects dignity, finances, and the best interests of the children. This article offers practical, experience-driven advice on minimising both the financial and emotional costs of separation and divorce. Why separation becomes costly, and how it usually doesn’t… Read More »How to Minimise the Cost of Separation & Divorce

Stephen Page's video on criminalising overseas surrogacy

Criminalising Overseas Surrogacy: Why Ireland, Italy, and Queensland’s “Experiment” Will Fail

Jurisdictions tend to respond to overseas commercial surrogacy by criminalising their own residents for seeking surrogacy abroad. That experiment began in Queensland in 1988 and has since been copied in other places, most recently, Ireland and Italy. After watching how this played out in Australia and abroad, I want to explain plainly why criminalising overseas… Read More »Criminalising Overseas Surrogacy: Why Ireland, Italy, and Queensland’s “Experiment” Will Fail

Family Law Section Law Council of Australia Award
Member of Queensland law society
Family law Practitioners Association
International Academy of Family Lawyers - IAFL
Mediator Standards Board