Tuesday, April 22, 2008

ABC Online - "Lesbian parents to receive increased rights"

The New South Wales Government is moving to give children of same-sex female couples the same rights as those born to heterosexual parents.

Attorney-General John Hatzistergos says legislation will be introduced to cover children conceived by artificial fertilisation.

He says the current laws do not recognise the relationship a child might have with the female partner of their birth mother.

"So that they are unable for example to take on inheritance, they are unable to access benefits of compensation which may be due to them otherwise following a death or following an injury," he said.

"Also those children would be unable to exercise responsibilities that children would normally have in relation to parents."

But Mr Hatzistergos says the new laws will not cover children with gay male parents.

"That raises complex issues, particularly in relation to issues of adoption and the extinguishing of the rights of the existing birth mother and also issues relating to surrogacy," he said.

"It's not appropriate for us to move in that direction before that national discussion is able to proceed and is able to resolve issues as far as possible."

[Link: Original Article]

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