NSW - Same-sex adoption bill

STATUS: Bill PASSED September 8, 2010. 

UPDATE:
The NSW Parliament has passed a Bill allowing homosexual couples to adopt.
The Bill was voted on by the NSW Legislative Assembly on September 2, 2010 and passed by 45 votes to 43.
An amendment to exempt faith based agencies from having to provide babies and children to be adopted by same-sex couples was passed. 

The Hansard record of the Votes and Proceedings is online - click here.
It includes the vote. The webpage starts with the second reading debate and 'in principle' vote.
The consideration in detail and the FINAL vote is at NO 15, about 2/3 of the way down the webpage. 

In passing this Bill, there was little thought for the real welfare of the children who deserve to have a mother and a father. Unfortunately both the Premier, Kristina Keneally, and the Leader of the Opposition, Barry O'Farrell, spoke in favour of and voted FOR this shameful Bill, as did the the Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Jillian Skinner. Thankfully, the leader of the Nationals, Andrew Stoner, opposed the Bil

The Bill then went to the Legislative Council. A debate and vote was held on September 8, 2010.
The Bill was passed by 22 votes to 15.
To read the Hansard record of the debate, amendments and the final vote - click here.

_____________________________________

Original Campaign page on the issue.... July 2010

The NSW parliament will soon debate a bill that proposes to legalise adoption by same-sex couples.

The Adoption Amendment (Same Sex Couples) Bill has been introduced as a private member's bill by Clover Moore, a long-time supporter of homosexual rights.

The Bill is expected to be debated around the end of August or the beginning of September 2010.

NOW is the time to ACT - see ACTION section below! 

In July 2009, the NSW Legislative Council's Law and Justice Committee completed an Inquiry and published a report.

The government provided a response in January 2010. In response, the government said "the committee concluded that the gender of parents is not a significant determinant of children's wellbeing and that, as such, the sexual orientation of prospective parents is of no material relevance to the best interests of adoptive children."

A majority of the Law and Justice Committee recommended that adoption by same-sex couples should be legalised.

The Report said "the Adoption Act 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, subject to those agencies meeting a statutory requirement that they refer any same-sex couples who seek their services to another accredited adoption agency that will assist them."

However there was considerable opposition to the proposal by other members of the Committee.
Click here to view the report/response and details of the Inquiry. Read the actual Report - click here.

At the time the government said they had decided NOT to enact the recommendations of the Inquiry - thus deciding not to legalise adoption by same-sex couples in NSW.

Linda Burney, NSW Minister for Community Services, said that the state Government believed there was "some merit" in the committee's findings. She said "However, members were unable to reach a consensus, reflecting divisions on this issue in the wider community.the justified the decision of the state government not to legalise adoption by same-sex couples on the grounds that they were "not satisfied there is broad enough community support to justify new state legislation at this stage". 
Read media report.
Read the governemnt's response to the Law and Justice Committee's Report.

Now Clover Moore has introduced this bill to try and have the law changed. Although the proposed bill is a private member's bill - and not a government bill - the Premier, Kristina Keneally, has already said she will support the bill. A conscience vote will be allowed for all MPs on the bill.
She was asked how she reconciled support for this Bill with her catholic faith. The Sydney Morning Herald reported...

"Ms Keneally, a devout Catholic, said it was fair to ask how she reconciled her faith with such issues.
"My religious views do not play a part in the legislation that I as a leader of the Labor Party bring before the government," she said.
"If I look at the gospel message it is one of acceptance, it is one of love ... Jesus sat with the sinners and the saints and he was not a man of judgment but rather a man of love".
Read media report.

Two faith-based agencies who arrange adoptions are opposing the Bill - Anglicare and CatholicCare. Read media report.
Unfortunately, the Uniting Church has said they support the Bill. See SX report.  

ACTION:

It's time for NSW residents to contact their MPs to ask them not to support the legalisation of adoption by same-sex couples.
Click here for MP contact details - one in the Legislative Assembly and ALL Members of the Legislative Council.