committees

NSW surrogacy review

Penny — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 22:04:19 -0600

Last week, the Attorney General announced a review of surrogacy laws in NSW. His announcement followed discussion at the meeting of the Standing Committee of Attorneys General (SCAG) about a proposed national model.

Surrogacy is complex issue that can invoke a lot of emotions, made more complicated by the fact that legislation differs around Australia. In NSW, commercial surrogacy is banned but altruistic surrogacy is unregulated. In Queensland, any form of surrogacy is proscribed, while other states and territories accept altruistic surrogacy. Surrogacy also raises important questions about parenting provisions and the content of birth certificates.

Parliaments around the country have been examining legislation: inquiries are happening in Queensland and Tasmania, in Victoria the State Government is set to introduce legislation later this year based on the recommendations of the Victorian Law Reform Commission. (The VLRC recommended that the criteria for defining infertility include social as well as medical infertility). In WA, legislation that passed the Upper House is due to be debated in the Lower House this month, and SA recently passed new laws allowing gestational surrogacy. However, an amendment by Labor MLC Ian Hunter that would have allowed anyone who had been in a domestic relationship, including same-sex couples, access to gestational surrogacy (even though it would be unlikely for gay couples to ever use gestational surrogacy) was voted down by Family First and the Liberals.

Among other things, the Standing Committee on Law and Justice has been asked to look at:

The role that the NSW Government should play in regulating altruistic surrogacy arrangements in NSW
The legal rights and responsibilities that should be imposed upon the intended parent/s and /or birth parent/s
The rights that a child born through an altruistic surrogacy arrangement should have to access information relating to his / her genetic parentage, and who should hold that information
The interplay between existing State and Federal legislation as it affects all individuals involved

The Attorney has also flagged that the Committee should also consider surrogacy for same sex couples (however, the review is focusing only on altruistic surrogacy).

I am interested in hearing from people who have a personal experience with surrogacy who would be happy to share their stories with the Committee.

Federal Inquiries closing soon

Penny — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 01:07:52 -0600

Inquiries into three Bills introduced by the Federal Government as part of their commitment to remove discrimination against same-sex couples and their children from Federal legislation are closing soon.

The Evidence Amendment Bill 2008, Same-Sex Relationship (Equal Treatment in Commonwealth Laws-Superannuation) Bill 2008 and Family law Amendment (De Facto Financial Matters and Other Measures) Bill 2008 were introduced by the Rudd Government as part of the first round of reforms based on the recommendations of HREOC's Same Sex: Same Entitlements report.

The Attorney General had hoped these Bills would be passed before the Federal Parliament rose on 26 June, but they were referred to a Senate Committee by the Coalition.

In particular, the Coalition wanted the Committee to examine the definition of "couple relationship" and "child" under the Same-Sex Relationship (Equal Treatment in Commonwealth Laws-Superannuation) Bill 2008, and the definition broadened to "interdependent couples" (such as two elderly sisters living together).

HREOC has said that 'interdependency' fails to recognise the love and commitment of same-sex relationships. Interdependency does not recognise same-sex relationships as equal to heterosexual relationships.

Support same-sex couples and their kids by making a submission to the inquiry. Make sure you identify the Bill you are writing about.

Submissions close on Friday, 25 July 2008.

Inquiry into overcoming Indigenous disadvantage in NSW

Penny — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 22:52:12 -0600

This week the Standing Committee on Social Issues released the interim report of its inquiry into overcoming Indigenous disadvantage in NSW.

The inquiry is focused on identifying strategies to address the lifetime expectancy gap between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people (currently estimated to be 17 years). The terms of reference were referred by the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, the Hon Paul Lynch MP late last year. The Interim report looks at issues such as education, housing, environmental health as well as the criminal justice system. The report identifies a number of issues for further consideration in the Final report (due in November) which will also include to Committee's recommendations.

During its inquiry the Committee has received 74 submissions, conducted ten public hearings and one public forum. The Committee also visited Bidwill in Sydney's west, Redfern in the inner city, and the regional areas of Kempsey, Dubbo and Nowra.

The Committee intends to conduct further hearings and site visits, engaging with Indigenous communities and will also use evidence already gathered to further inform its recommendations.

According to the Chair,

the message from this Inquiry so far is that there must be significant reform to the delivery of services to Aboriginal people if the gap between the circumstances of Indigenous and non-Aboriginal Australians is to be overcome. It is vital to build effective partnerships with the Aboriginal community, and for communities to have real ownership of programs and outcomes.

Submissions close on 15 August.

Estimates Committees Roundup

Penny Sharpe — Mon, 11 Sep 2006 00:00:00 -0600

Did the Coalition actually do any work over the parliamentary recess?

The past two weeks have seen every Minister attend an estimates committee meeting.

Estimates committees are an opportunity for Legislative Committee members from all parties to examine the expenditure for the upcoming year being proposed by the Government.

In practice they have a very wide brief that means that members can ask questions about any matter within a Minister’s portfolio.

It is a golden opportunity to interrogate a Minister and expose any problems within his or her portfolio.

Six months from a state election the Coalition’s participation was lacklustre, lazy and obviously driven by media reports. There was clear cooperation between the Coalition and the Greens who at various times shared the same questions.

I was also surprised by some of the questions asked by cross benches. On several occasions the questions asked by cross benches were on behalf of a particular single interest organisation.

I participated in the estimates committees that examined Local Government, Fair Trading, Western Sydney, Housing, Education and Training, Treasury, Infrastructure, the Hunter, Community Services, Youth, Transport, Tourism, Sport and Women.

Full transcripts can be seen here. Despite the poor questioning by the Opposition, the Ministers provided a good overview of what they have planned. If you have a particular policy interest the transcripts provide a good overview of what is happening across the portfolios.

Labor members of the estimates committee’s interrogated Ministers on what the Coalitions promise to cut 29,000 public servants would mean for NSW. The answers demonstrated that NSW could not sustain these cuts without a massive impact on frontline services.

The Coalition will have to work much harder if they want to present a credible alternative in March 07. With $20 billion worth of promises based on slashing 29,000 jobs it is clear that their shopping list lacks any coherent plan.