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"[It's] wrong to suggest that a McCain-Palin administration would just be a continuation of Bush-Cheney.
If the way John McCain and Sarah Palin are campaigning is any indication, it would be much, much worse."
- Nobel Prize winner, Paul Krugman
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The Hon Penny Sharpe MLC
Australian Labor Party
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Sydney NSW 2000
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adoption
Inquiry into adoption by same-sex couples
Submitted by Penny on Fri, 05/12/2008 - 7:56am.
The Law and Justice Committee is conducting an inquiry into adoption by same-sex couples.
Currently in NSW, same-sex couples cannot jointly adopt children. While a single gay man or lesbian may adopt a child, the Adoption Act's definition of a couple as a ‘man and a woman' prevents same-sex couples from jointly adopting. It also means that gay and lesbian step-parents can't adopt their partner's children. Same-sex couples can be foster carers, but they can't adopt together.
Adoption
Submitted by Penny Sharpe on Fri, 07/07/2006 - 4:00pm.
Posted Friday 7 July 06
The NSW Department of Community Services (DoCS) is currently undertaking a review of the Adoption Act 2000.
The review will examine all aspects of the Adoption Act. My submission argues that same sex couples should not be excluded from applying to adopt on the basis that:
- Exclusion of same sex couples under NSW adoption law overrides consideration of children’s best interest principles
- Exclusion of same sex couples from adoption services has negative legal and social implications for some children
- Arbitrary exclusion of same sex couples from adoption services is not compatible with human rights
