TAS: Surrogacy report wants Family Court role

AAP General News (Australia)
08-26-2008
TAS: Surrogacy report wants Family Court role

By Paul Carter

HOBART, Aug 26 AAP - A Tasmanian government report on altruistic surrogacy recommends
that parties to such an arrangement be required to lodge a formal agreement with the Family
Court.

The report examining altruistic or non-commercial surrogacy was tabled in parliament today.

It forms part of a national review of state and federal surrogacy laws searching for
national uniformity.

The report calls for nationally consistent legislation to stop shopping around in jurisdictions
for altruistic surrogacy services.

Committee chair Lin Thorp today said in a statement that while a surrogacy agreement
lodged in the Family Court would be legally unenforceable, the Family Court should be
able to make subsequent orders relating to a child born as a result of an altruistic surrogacy
agreement.

The committee also believes that it is time for a national birth certificate to be
implemented with a complimentary register that stores relevant parental data for the benefit
of children with expanded parental circumstances, she said.

It is also recommended that all prospective surrogate women should carry at least one
previous child to term before being eligible to enter into any surrogacy agreement and
that any prospective party should be at least 21 years of age, she said.

The committee also is of the view that any prospective party to altruistic surrogacy
should be required to undertake counselling and legal advice.

AAP pc/jfm/bwl

KEYWORD: SURROGACY

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