Christian Lobby welcomes Queensland Opposition’s commitment to conscience vote on surrogacy laws
Australian Christian Lobby - Media Release
14, June 2008
The Australian Christian Lobby (ACL) has welcomed a commitment given by Queensland Opposition Leader Lawrence Springborg on the weekend that the merging Queensland Liberal National Party would have a conscience vote on surrogacy laws once they go to parliament.
Questioned on this issue at the ACL Queensland State Conference at Parliament House on Saturday, Mr Springborg committed the Coalition to a conscience vote on surrogacy. Other speakers at the conference included Queensland Attorney-General Kerry Shine.
ACL Queensland Director Peter Earle said he welcomed the Opposition’s decision to allow a conscience vote and urged the Government to follow suit.
“Given strong concerns about the negative impacts surrogacy arrangements can have on children it is highly appropriate that both Government and Opposition MPs are permitted to have a conscience vote on this issue,” Mr Earle said.
“While we sympathise with the deep pain felt by childless couples, we believe on balance that it is wrong to create a situation where numerous adults could have a biological stake in a child. Such arrangements are fraught with significant legal and relational consequences.”
A select committee, appointed by the Queensland Government, is currently investigating whether altruistic surrogacy should be legalised in Queensland and, if so, how it should be regulated.
The ACL recently made a submission to the committee, saying it believes that the risks in legalising surrogacy would override any benefits to society. The submission says that it is not in the public good to allow children to be conceived in arrangements that are fraught with such difficulties and complexities.
These difficulties include:
- Legal challenges as to who is the parent;
- Access to singles and same-sex couples;
- Genetic bewilderment for children;
- Blurred family relationships and disruption to relationship links between marriage, conception, gestation, birth and motherhood, which are important to human identity.
Media Contact: Peter Earle on 0411 431 141 or Glynis Quinlan on 0408 875 979
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