Legislative Council report on adoption by same-sex couples

08/07/2009

The New South Wales Legislative Council's Standing Committee on Law and Justice has today tabled its report, _Adoption by Same-Sex Couple_s. The committee was asked to inquire into and report on law reform issues regarding whether NSW adoption laws should be amended to allow same sex couples to adopt. The committee has determined that: �

the _Adoption Act 2000 should be amended to allow same-sex couples to adopt, but that an exemption from the application of the Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 be created for faith-based adoption agencies. The Committee has concluded that reform to allow same-sex couples to adopt in NSW will protect children’s rights and help to ensure children’s best interests. It will do so by providing the security of legal recognition for existing parent-child relationships, by broadening the pool of potential� applicants from which the most appropriate parents for any individual child are selected, and by enabling children currently fostered by same-sex couples to have that relationship permanently secured where appropriate. Such reform will also address discrimination against same-sex couples and their children, and address anomalous inconsistencies in their present treatment under the law._

View the report >

**8 July 2009 **