PET PET
  • My Account
  • Subscribe
Become a Friend Donate
  • About Us
    • People
    • Press Office
    • Our History
  • Get Involved
    • Become a Friend of PET
    • Volunteer
    • Campaigns
    • Writing Scheme
    • Partnership and Sponsorship
    • Advertise with Us
  • Donate
    • Become a Friend of PET
  • BioNews
    • News
    • Comment
    • Reviews
    • Elsewhere
    • Topics
    • Glossary
    • Newsletters
  • Events
    • Upcoming Events
    • Previous Events
  • Engagement
    • Policy and Projects
      • Resources
    • Education
  • Jobs & Opportunities
  • Contact Us
  • About Us
    • People
    • Press Office
    • Our History
  • Get Involved
    • Become a Friend of PET
    • Volunteer
    • Campaigns
    • Writing Scheme
    • Partnership and Sponsorship
    • Advertise with Us
  • Donate
    • Become a Friend of PET
  • BioNews
    • News
    • Comment
    • Reviews
    • Elsewhere
    • Topics
    • Glossary
    • Newsletters
  • Events
    • Upcoming Events
    • Previous Events
  • Engagement
    • Policy and Projects
      • Resources
    • Education
  • Jobs & Opportunities
  • Contact Us
  • My Account
  • Subscribe
  • Privacy Statement
  • Advertising Policy
  • Thanks and Acknowledgements
PETBioNewsNewsParents of surrogate child are denied legal status by Victoria's state law

BioNews

Parents of surrogate child are denied legal status by Victoria's state law

Published 9 June 2009 posted in News and appears in BioNews 384

Author

Dr Antony Starza-Allen

Image by Dr Christina Weis. © Christina Weis
Image by Dr Christina Weis. © Christina Weis

Australian Senator Stephen Conroy and his wife may be forced to leave their home in Victoria, Australia, to escape state laws that do not recognise them as legal parents of their child, which was born to a surrogate. The Victorian Law Reform Commission said that the state's...

Australian Senator Stephen Conroy and his wife may be forced to leave their home in Victoria, Australia, to escape state laws that do not recognise them as legal parents of their child, which was born to a surrogate. The Victorian Law Reform Commission said that the state's Infertility Treatment Act makes all surrogacy agreements in the state void. Victorian law says that 'the surrogate mother and her partner, if any, are the child's parents, regardless of any agreement or arrangement between the parties'.


The couple sought a surrogate because Mr Conroy's wife is unable to give birth herself after suffering from ovarian cancer. They have refused to disclose the identity of the surrogate, only saying that she is a close friend. Even though Mr Conroy used his own sperm in the procedure, Victorian law only recognises the adoptive parents of a surrogate-born child as the legal parents if they are related to the surrogate. Mr Conroy and his wife can, however, apply for a parenting order from the Family Court of Australia. This would grant them legal rights over the child until she turns 18, but the surrogate mother would still legally be considered her mother. The couple can also seek to adopt the child. A spokeswoman for the Department of Community Services said that 'it's the same as the process that step-parents wanting to adopt a child would go though'.


In a meeting of Australia's Attorneys-General on the issue it was agreed in principle that couples should not have to travel to another state to escape restrictive surrogacy laws in their home state. Philip Ruddock, the federal Attorney-General, said that 'in a federation like Australia, it is not satisfactory that people are forced to effectively forum-shop for the best deal'. In a draft report on surrogacy, The Victorian Law Reform Commission has also argued for more clarity, criticising the current position of the law in the state.

Related Articles

Image by Alan Handyside via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts a human egg soon after fertilisation, with the two parental pronuclei clearly visible.
CC0 1.0
Image by Alan Handyside via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts a human egg soon after fertilisation, with the two parental pronuclei clearly visible.
News
9 June 2009 • 2 minutes read

Victoria to consider assisted reproduction law reform

by Danielle Hamm

The Victorian Law Reform Commission (VLRC) has published its final report on Assisted Reproductive Technology and Adoption. The report will now be considered by the Victorian State Government; a formal response is expected by the end of 2007. Assisted reproduction is governed in the Australian state by...

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

« Parkinson's stem cell research produces mixed results

Data-Label The UK's Leading Supplier Of Medical Labels & Asset Labels

RetiringDentist.co.uk The UK's Leading M&A Company.
easyfundraising
amazon

This month in BioNews

  • Popular
  • Recent
13 June 2022 • 2 minutes read

Drop in diversity of blood stem cells leads to old-age health issues

27 June 2022 • 2 minutes read

UK report reveals public attitudes to fertility, genomics and embryo research

27 June 2022 • 2 minutes read

Shortage of sperm donors despite men willing to donate

27 June 2022 • 2 minutes read

North East London CCG proposes offering three funded IVF cycles

27 June 2022 • 2 minutes read

Fibrosis drugs reverse ovarian ageing in mice

27 June 2022 • 2 minutes read

Gene implicated in motor neurone diseases discovered

Subscribe to BioNews and other PET updates for free.

Subscribe
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • RSS
Wellcome
Website redevelopment supported by Wellcome.

Website by Impact Media Impact Media

  • Privacy Statement
  • Advertising Policy
  • Thanks and Acknowledgements

© 1992 - 2022 Progress Educational Trust. All rights reserved.

Limited company registered in England and Wales no 07405980 • Registered charity no 1139856

Subscribe to BioNews and other PET updates for free.

Subscribe
PET PET

PET is an independent charity that improves choices for people affected by infertility and genetic conditions.

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • RSS
Wellcome
Website redevelopment supported by Wellcome.

Navigation

  • About Us
  • Get Involved
  • Donate
  • BioNews
  • Events
  • Engagement
  • Jobs & Opportunities
  • Contact Us

BioNews

  • News
  • Comment
  • Reviews
  • Elsewhere
  • Topics
  • Glossary
  • Newsletters

Other

  • My Account
  • Subscribe

Website by Impact Media Impact Media

  • Privacy Statement
  • Advertising Policy
  • Thanks and Acknowledgements

© 1992 - 2022 Progress Educational Trust. All rights reserved.

Limited company registered in England and Wales no 07405980 • Registered charity no 1139856