Committee Details

Committee Report

On 14 September 2016, the Hon. Shannon Fentiman, Member for Waterford and Minister for Communities, Women and Youth, Minister for Child Safety and Minister for the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence introduced the Adoption and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2016 into the Queensland Parliament.

View:    Minister’s speech introducing the Bill into the Queensland Parliament

View:    Adoption and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2016

View:    Explanatory Notes to the Adoption and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2016

View:    Report No. 28, 55th Parliament - Adoption and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2016

In accordance with Standing Order 131, the Bill was referred to the Health, Communities, Disability Services and Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Committee for detailed consideration. The Committee was required to report by Wednesday 26 October 2016.

About the Bill

The policy objective of the Bill, as outlined in the Explanatory Notes, is to ensure that the Adoption Act 2009 (the Act) provides a contemporary and flexible framework for adoption in Queensland.

The Bill proposed to amend the Act to:

expand who is eligible to have their name entered or remain in the expression of interest register for adoption to include same-sex couples, single persons and persons undergoing fertility treatment

remove the offence and associated penalty for a breach of a contact statement for adoptions that occurred before June 1991

improve access to information by:  

• enabling the chief executive to consider the release of identifying information without the consent from adoptive or birth parents in exceptional circumstances
• broadening the definition of relative for the purposes of accessing or consenting to the access of information to include future generations and persons recognised under Aboriginal tradition and Torres Strait Island custom, and
• expanding the information that may be provided to an adopted person about a person who may be their biological father
• require the court to be satisfied that exceptional circumstances exist before including a change to a child’s first name in a final adoption order

enable the chief executive to facilitate contact between parties to an adoption, during an interim adoption order

improve processes for adoption of a child by a step-parent, and

make minor and technical amendments and require a review of the operation of the Act in five years’ time.

Inquiry Timeline

Submissions closed:                    4:00pm on Tuesday 4 October 2016
Public hearing date/s:                Wednesday 12 October 2016 - Program - Transcript

Report Tabled:                            Wednesday 26 October 2016 - Report