The Australian Christian Lobby (ACL) today urged the NSW Government not to change the law to allow same sex adoption as it goes against the best interests of the children, who as a consequence will miss out on the love and role models of both a mother and a father.

ACL Managing Director Jim Wallace said heterosexual couples who can provide a more complete family environment are already spending years on NSW waiting lists in the hope of adopting a child, with many missing out.

“It is amazing that at a time when the NSW Government is facing major challenges it is pushing a gay lobby agenda which would prevent adopted children from having both a mother and a father, and would also add further stress to long waiting lists,” Mr Wallace said.

“People generally have been very sympathetic to ending unjustified discrimination against same sex couples and much has been done in this area.

“However this latest move would see the wishes of gay lobbyists put above the interests of children. Most NSW residents would be appalled to see this happening.

“The NSW Adoption Act 2000 itself says that no adult has the ‘right’ to adopt a child and that the best interests of the child must be paramount. The NSW parliamentary committee tasked with inquiring into this issue needs to give close attention to those points.

“The optimum situation for a child is to grow up in the care of both a mother and a father,” Mr Wallace said.

“The issue shouldn’t be about whether same-sex couples want to adopt children, but whether the best interests of the child would be served. This is clearly not the case.”

Media Contact: Rob Ward on 0408 348 352 or Glynis Quinlan on 0408 875 979

Australian Christian Lobby
Canberra, Australia

Tel: (02) 6259 0431

Fax: (02) 6259 0462

Mob: 0448 602 878

www.acl.org.au