New laws passed in Western Australia last night to permit surrogacy arrangements for both single women and couples will add to the growing fatherlessness problems in society, the Australian Christian Lobby (ACL) said today.

ACL WA Director Michelle Pearse said various WA Governments had already paved the way for single women to have access to IVF, artificial insemination and adoption, and now surrogacy has been added to the list.

“It was very disappointing to see the surrogacy bill passed with no requirements that surrogacy should only occur within a committed relationship between a man and a woman,” Mrs Pearse said.

“Sadly we know that many children miss out on growing up with both parents but they should at least have the right to start out in life with both a mum and a dad.

“The new surrogacy laws will add to the increasing incidence of fatherlessness in our society which then feeds in to a host of other social and financial problems.

“It seems very remiss that successive governments are changing laws in a way that is dismantling the normal family structure which has stood the test of time and provides the optimum environment for children to be raised.” 

Mrs Pearse said ACL believes that surrogacy arrangements are not in the best interests of children because they are fraught with legal and relational consequences ranging from genetic bewilderment for children to custody disputes.

“While we sympathise with the deep pain felt by childless couples, we believe on balance that it is wrong to create a situation where up to five adults could have a stake in a child – including genetic parents, arranged parents, and the birth mother.”

Media Contact: Michelle Pearse on 0400 869 107 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