[Queensland] - Brisbane Times - Surrogacy Ban Held Over to New Year - Daniel Hurst

In what is only a small and temporary reprieve from the shameful behaviour of the Queensland government on the issue of Altruistic Surrogacy for same-sex couples, the Brisbane Times are reporting that the legislation banning surrogacy for same-sex couples will be delayed until next year.  Appalling behaviour by a bigoted and homophobic government.

From the Brisbane Times:

Controversial draft laws to ban single people and same-sex couples from having a child through surrogacy in Queensland will not be unveiled until next year.

But the state's chief law officer insists the government is not rethinking its plans, announced in June, despite Premier Campbell Newman's pre-election comments rejecting surrogacy changes.

Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie on Wednesday replied to two petitions on the issue, one launched by psychologist and campaigner Paul Martin with 5377 signatures opposing changes.

The other, organised by the Australian Christian Lobby's Wendy Francis and backed by 10,003 people, calls on the government to ban single people and same-sex couples from having a child by surrogacy.
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Altruistic surrogacy involves a woman carrying a baby on behalf of others for no payment.

Mr Bleijie told petitioners the surrogacy issue was “one that divides the community” and the government was “carefully considering” the various opinions.

“The government is aware of the strong and sincerely held views by those who oppose surrogacy and those who support it,” he wrote.
“While the government has announced its intention to reform the Act to exclude from eligibility as intended parents, single persons, same-sex couples and de facto couples whose relationships are less than two years, I can assure all petitioners that the government is carefully considering all views before proceeding with amendments to the surrogacy laws in Queensland.”

Asked whether the government was reconsidering the proposed changes, Mr Bleijie's office said no rethink had occurred.

“This is an important law reform issue and as such will be given necessary consideration by the Attorney-General,” a spokeswoman said.
However, she confirmed a bill outlining the proposed changes would not be introduced to Parliament before next year.

Mr Bleijie refused to guarantee the bill would be sent to a parliamentary committee to allow public input.

“Whether a bill goes before a committee is a decision for Parliament, not the Attorney-General,” his spokeswoman said.

Mr Newman has previously indicated bills related to election promises may not be sent to a committee, because voters had already had their say.

However, Mr Newman dismissed suggestions on the eve of the March 2012 election that the LNP would change surrogacy laws.

“We will not be making any changes to the laws on those matters,” Mr Newman said when asked about potential amendments to surrogacy laws a week before the election.

The Newman government has since argued its proposed changes reflect the position the Liberal National Party took during debate on Labor's surrogacy bill in 2010.

In 2011, when he became LNP leader, Mr Newman said all previous policies became “null and void”.

Mr Newman has since argued he made a “mistake” when he made his pre-election comments hosing down potential surrogacy changes.
The petition opposing changes to surrogacy laws was launched on July 4 and said the Newman government's proposed amendments “would legislate for discrimination and inequality; it would further take our state backwards in relation to human rights”.

The petition supporting the proposed changes, launched six days later, argued the existing surrogacy laws deprived a child of either a mother or a father.

It argued “the 'equal right' of every child to enter the world with both a mother and father must take priority over the alleged 'equal right' of single people or same-sex couples to obtain a child by surrogacy”.

[Source: Original Article]