Adoption
Matthew BACH (North-Eastern Metropolitan) (12:13): (83) My question is also for the Attorney-General. Attorney, when adoption equality legislation came into force in 2017 the government said:
This law brings much needed certainty for many children and their parents who currently live in a legal haze …
Yet your department has now confirmed that fewer than five children have been adopted since then by same-sex couples. Attorney, what action will the government now take to deliver on its previous promise of removing ‘many children’ from a legal haze?
Jaclyn Symes: Dr Bach, I am a little unclear about your question. Are you concerned about the administrative processes or are you concerned about the support for the ability for people to adopt? If it is a matter for BDM, that no longer sits with the Attorney-General. I am happy to revisit your question, because I am a little unclear about exactly what you are asking, I have got to say. But it might not even be –
A member interjected.
Jaclyn Symes: I could ask him to rephrase, but I actually think it is going to be a matter for the Minister for Government Services.
The PRESIDENT: I will give Dr Bach a chance to rephrase if he likes.
Matthew BACH: I am happy to rephrase if that would help the Attorney. The nub of my question is this: what action will the government now take to deliver on its previous promise and allow more same-sex couples to adopt?
Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Attorney-General, Minister for Emergency Services) (12:14): The work goes on, Mr Bach. If the legal changes have made it easier for five families to access adoption and that has been the right choice for their family, then that is a good outcome. If you have examples of individual families that are having difficult –
Members interjecting.
Jaclyn SYMES: You have asked me to identify how we can support more and many families. What I would ask from you is to bring to me any examples of people who are finding it difficult to access the laws that allow them to do such as that.
Matthew BACH (North-Eastern Metropolitan) (12:15): To initially respond directly to the Attorney-General, I am very happy to do that. A number of people who I had spoken with, members of the rainbow community here in Victoria, spoke on the record with the Guardian recently about the dreadful and ongoing discrimination that they face in seeking to access adoption. I am very happy to pass on details to you – very happy to. As I said in my substantive question, Attorney, your department has said that ‘fewer than five children’ have been adopted by same-sex couples since this legal change. Can you tell the house exactly how many?
Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Attorney-General, Minister for Emergency Services) (12:16): Mr Bach, coming back to where we left off in our conversation on your first question, the framework is there to support families to access adoption regardless of the make-up of those families. If you have specific examples of families that are having problems with administrative issues, then I am more than happy to speak with those families. That is fine. There are a myriad of issues that can be barriers for people adopting, particularly international – overseas – barriers. But in relation to the legislation that we brought forward, it was to make things easier for families, and my invitation –
Members interjecting.
Jaclyn SYMES: I have just offered to speak directly to any families that are having difficulties under the scheme, which, as I understand it, was championed by us and opposed by you.