Kyla
04-19-2004, 02:44 AM
April 19, 2004
AUSTRALIA should consider legislation to allow multiple parenting after a landmark court decision in New Zealand, a Tasmanian gay activist said today.
The call follows a recent Auckland court ruling to grant a gay Sydney man who donated sperm to a lesbian couple shared guardianship of his two-year-old son after the friends had a falling out.
Family Court Judge Sarah Fleming awarded joint custody to the lesbian couple, also giving the lesbian partner and biological father shared guardianship with the biological mother.
Tasmanian Gay and Lesbian Rights Group spokesman Rodney Croome said the New Zealand Law Commission had already launched an inquiry into legal multiple parenting and Australia should follow its lead.
"Parenting laws in Australia are governed by commonwealth and state legislation, so we would really need to be looking at changing the laws on both levels," he said.
"If a child considers more than two people to be his or her parents then the laws should be flexible enough to allow those parents to be legally recognised."
Mr Croome said sperm donor arrangements were becoming increasingly common for lesbian and straight couples alike.
"The easiest way to head off or resolve acrimonious disputes between sperm donors and couples to whom they donate is to allow for legal guardianship or parenthood for more than two parents," he said.
"Legislation allowing multiple parenting will also mean parents won't have to rely on the ad hoc solutions cobbled together by courts from existing laws and regulations."
AUSTRALIA should consider legislation to allow multiple parenting after a landmark court decision in New Zealand, a Tasmanian gay activist said today.
The call follows a recent Auckland court ruling to grant a gay Sydney man who donated sperm to a lesbian couple shared guardianship of his two-year-old son after the friends had a falling out.
Family Court Judge Sarah Fleming awarded joint custody to the lesbian couple, also giving the lesbian partner and biological father shared guardianship with the biological mother.
Tasmanian Gay and Lesbian Rights Group spokesman Rodney Croome said the New Zealand Law Commission had already launched an inquiry into legal multiple parenting and Australia should follow its lead.
"Parenting laws in Australia are governed by commonwealth and state legislation, so we would really need to be looking at changing the laws on both levels," he said.
"If a child considers more than two people to be his or her parents then the laws should be flexible enough to allow those parents to be legally recognised."
Mr Croome said sperm donor arrangements were becoming increasingly common for lesbian and straight couples alike.
"The easiest way to head off or resolve acrimonious disputes between sperm donors and couples to whom they donate is to allow for legal guardianship or parenthood for more than two parents," he said.
"Legislation allowing multiple parenting will also mean parents won't have to rely on the ad hoc solutions cobbled together by courts from existing laws and regulations."