Surrogacy Legalised in Queensland
Last week - on Thursday February 11, 2010 - the Queensland government passed a bill that legalises surrogacy. The bill was passed by 45 votes to 36 votes.
The bill allows a lesbian couple or a single woman or a male homosexual couple to use surrogacy to have a child.
This is another retrograde step in undermining the importance of the natural family of mum, dad and their biological children. The Bill also allows a child's birth certificate to record false details of their 'parents'.
Two Labor MPs crossed the floor to vote against the legislation: Former Minister Margaret Keech and Capalaba MP Michael Choi. seven MPs did not cast a vote - see Courier Mail article link below.
The government ignored a strong campaign from Christians asking them to vote against the proposal. The Opposition tried to amend the legislation to only allow surrogacy to be used by infertile heterosexual married or de facto couples but those amendments were defeated.
We opposed the passage of the legislation in full.
Media reports:
Labor MPs to cross the floor on surrogacy Bill - Courier Mail, February 11, 2010. "TWO Labor MPs have crossed the floor to vote against the Bligh Government's plan to allow gay couples and single parents to have children through surrogacy. But it was not enough to scuttle the Bill which was passed at 8pm, 45 votes to 36 following a marathon debate. Seven MPs did not cast a final vote on the Bill. . ."
Surrogacy laws spark mixed response ABC Online - Feb 11, 2010
Surrogacy payments 'difficult to stop' Brisbane Times - Feb 11, 2010 "There would be little to stop new parents "paying" a surrogate mother despite commercial arrangements remaining illegal under new state law, lawyers say..." |