What Has Happened to Surrogacy in New Zealand
Tuesday March 18, 2025

What Has Happened to Surrogacy in New Zealand

Tuesday, March 18, 2025

In this video, Page Provan Director, Stephen Page, steps beyond Australia’s borders to discuss the complex world of surrogacy in New Zealand.

If you’re considering surrogacy in New Zealand, brace yourself for a challenging legal journey. Unlike in Australia, surrogacy laws in New Zealand operate under an outdated Adoption Act from the 1950s, creating a bureaucratic maze that can make the process incredibly difficult.

  • Gestational vs. Traditional Surrogacy – The differences and legal hurdles
  • Committee Approval – A major roadblock for gestational surrogacy
  • Adoption Laws – Why intended parents must undergo an intrusive assessment
  • International Surrogacy – Why Kiwis still face adoption requirements even when pursuing surrogacy overseas
  • Proposed Law Reforms – How New Zealand’s Law Commission is pushing for change

The good news? A 2024 Law Commission review may finally modernize New Zealand’s surrogacy laws and bring them closer to international best practices. Will New Zealand automatically recognize intended parents without forcing them into an adoption process? Time will tell.

Request an Appointment
Fill in the form below to find out if you have a claim.
Request an Appointment - Stephen Page
Things to Read, Watch & Listen
Mexico Surrogacy 2026: New Court Rulings, AMPARO Orders & Timeline Changes

Mexico Surrogacy Update: New Court Rulings Change Everything

Mexico has long been on many Australian intended parents’ lists for surrogacy. It offered a path that, for years, was relatively fast compared with some other jurisdictions. But Mexico is not standing still. Recent decisions from the Mexican Supreme Court of Justice have significantly reshaped how surrogacy is handled through the courts, and those legal… Read More »Mexico Surrogacy Update: New Court Rulings Change Everything

Colombia Surrogacy Update: The Bill That Died

Colombia Surrogacy Update: The Bill That Died

Planning surrogacy in Colombia can feel like navigating two legal systems at the same time. There is what Colombia does (or decides not to do). And there is what Australian law requires of intended parents, even when the arrangement happens overseas. A recent development in Colombia matters because it affects whether foreign intended parents may… Read More »Colombia Surrogacy Update: The Bill That Died

High Net Worth Divorce: What You Need to Know

High Net Worth Divorce: What You Need to Know

When a relationship ends, the legal rules about dividing property, superannuation, and financial responsibilities do not magically change just because someone is wealthy. The same family law principles still apply. But high net worth divorces bring a different level of complexity. In practical terms, these are cases where couples separation involves significant assets and superannuation,… Read More »High Net Worth Divorce: What You Need to Know

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