Surrogacy debate begins in Parliament
Update: 28 Oct 12.15pm Just before midday, debate on the bill was adjourned in the Legislative Assembly. Debate will likely resume later today.
Update: 28 Oct 10:50am Debate on the bill in the Legislative Assembly began around 10:30am, with Labor’s Linda Burney the first to speak in favour of the bill and the Liberals’ Greg Smith the first to speak against it. A live feed of the debate can be watched at http://stream.ac3.com.au/NSWLA
Update: 28 Oct 1.45am later in the evening, the second reading of the bill was approved in a vote of 24-9. The Legislative Council then debated amendments, before voted to reject amendments proposed by the Rev. Fred Nile 23-11 at around 1.30am. The bill will now pass to the Legislative Assembly.
Update: 11.30pm debate resumed on the surrogacy bill at 9.30, beginning with Labor’s Greg Donnelly, the Liberals’ Marie Ficcara and the Rev. Fred Nile speaking against the bill and the Greens’ David Shoebridge speaking in favour of it.
Update: 8.20pm when the Legislative Council resumed at 8pm, MLCs began debating the Electricity Supply Amendment (Solar Bonus Scheme). If MLCs return the the surrogacy bill tonight we will update here.
Update: 6.40pm debate was suspended at 6.30pm and will begin again at 8pm tonight.
Debate has begun on the NSW Government’s Surrogacy Bill 2010 in the Legislative Council.
Debate began shortly after 5.30pm and is expected to continue for several hours tonight.
A live webcast of the debate can be viewed at http://stream.ac3.com.au/NSWLC
So far the Liberals’ Robyn Parker and the Nationals’ Trevor Khan have spoken in favour of the bill, while Gordon Moyes of Family First NSW has spoken against the bill.
The bill is expected to have an easier passage than Clover Moore’s bill allowing same-sex couples to adopt did earlier this year.
The bill was introduced into the Legislative Assembly by NSW Attorney General John Hatzistergos on Friday.
Sydney Star Observer will keep you updated through the night on the progress of the debate.
Surrogacy seems to be latest line in the sand for my fellow Christians like Greg Smith.
As a very successful sperm donor with 12 Rainbow Babies and 1 current pregnancy I have it sweet. I get to donate to anyone I choose with no legal, moral or religious problems.
However, for those with differing fertility issues to sperm recipients there is NO level playing field.
I and the lesbian & straight women whom I and others like me on internet web groups help are OK. BUT people with differing fertility issues are prohibited from fufilling God’s first 3 commands to humans BE FRUITFUL, MULTIPLY & FILL THE EARTH.
What sort of heathen are these people to vote down a bill to help people achieve their raiaon d’etre of humans and becoming parents
These will be the last reforms we will see in NSW for some time….
Under a Liberal Government, the virulently anti gay/lesbian Greg Smith will be Attorney General. Hailing from the Far Right, he has opposed every reform introduced.
Frightening!
The present AG, John Hatzistergos has carried on the wonderful reformist tradition of the late Jeff Shaw – Adoption rights, Partnership Registration and now Surrogacy.
He will be sorely missed.
I have been tracking this Surrogacy Bill 2010 also – here it is:
http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/nswbills.nsf/0/71C024816771A264CA2577C100195683?Open&shownotes
Thank goodness that Fred Niles nasty and hateful amendment that says “only a couple consisting of a man and a woman may enter a surrogacy agreement” was voted down on a negative.
Here is the Fred Nile amendment (the one page nasty and hateful amendment):
http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/nswbills.nsf/0/71c024816771a264ca2577c100195683/$FILE/c2010-110.pdf
Passed third reading [and report adopted] in the upper house and now makes its way to the lower house for concurrence. Must pass both Houses and gain assent and also not forgetting that the law only becomes effective “on the day or days of proclamation” as well – before we can all jump for joy!!!!