Surrogacy political debate heats up in Queensland

Surrogacy political debate heats up in Queensland

This morning I was surprised to get in the mail a letter from the Right to Information officer of the Queensland Department of Justice and Attorney-General, who told me that the reason that she was writing to me was that, as a third party, I was entitled to respond and if necessary object to a request under the Right to Information Act (a more open version of Freedom of Information) for a copy of the submission that I wrote to the Government about the proposed Surrogacy Bill. I posted the submission on this blog back in November.

                                                             

Who was the application by? The Opposition Leader, John-Paul Langbroek. The Opposition has its own version of the bill, which specifically excludes same sex couples, singles and heterosexual de facto couples who have not lived together for 2 years.  The fact that the Opposition is making this application to the Deparmtent shows that the political debate is heating up.

What surprised me the most was that I had always supposed that my submission was on the record anyway.

Things to Read, Watch & Listen

When Not If the Intended Parents Become Parents

The road to parenthood through surrogacy may not always be smooth, but with the right approach, it’s not a matter of if, but when you’ll welcome your child.

Surrogates & Donors are Extraordinary People

Surrogates and donors make parenthood possible for so many who can’t conceive on their own—whether it’s heterosexual couples, LGBTQ+ parents, single parents, or those with medical conditions. Their generosity is nothing short of life-changing.

Anonymity is Dead in Surrogacy: The Rise of Technology and Its Impact on Donor Privacy

In this video, Stephen dives into one of the 10 lessons he’s learned since his first surrogacy case in 1988: the death of anonymity in surrogacy and donor conception.

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