Supporting the decriminalisation of altruistic surrogacy in Queensland

Eligibility - Queensland residents
Principal Petitioner:
Nicole Seath
PO Box 756
NUNDAH QLD 4012
Total Signatures - 245
Sponsoring Member: Vicky Darling MP
Posting Date: 20/11/2009
Closing Date: 20/1/2010
Tabled Date: 9/2/2010
Responded By: Hon Cameron Dick MP on 11/3/2010
TO: The Honourable the Speaker and Members of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland
Queensland residents draws to the attention of the House that under current legislation Queenslanders are at risk of fines and imprisonment for undertaking altruistic surrogacy arrangements. This is despite the fact that altruistic surrogacy is a long held tradition of some Queensland cultural groups and is not a criminal act in the majority of Australian States and Territories.The current laws do not allow Queenslanders with medical and fertility issues to make their own decisions about accessing current medical methods to have a family. It discriminates against those women who, for medical reasons, are unable to carry a child to term and therefore cannot use other legal methods of assisted reproduction (eg. IVF and AI).The current Queensland laws send surrogacy practices underground, force families to move interstate to access the treatments legally, and place children born of these arrangements in precarious legal and guardianship situations. The laws also restrict the rights of women who wish to be a surrogate, for no monetary gain or personal benefit.Your petitioners, therefore, request the House to implement the unanimous recommendations of the investigation into altruistic surrogacy committee tabled on 23 April 2009.