SOUTH Australia remains without operating surrogacy laws as legislation for its implementation lapsed in the final week of sitting.
With parliament rising and not sitting again until after the March 17 election, the laws will not have the opportunity to be passed until almost mid next year and would then depend on the makeup of parliament after the election results.
Liberal parliamentarian John Dawkins moved amendments through a Private Member’s’ Bill and said he was greatly dismayed by the outcome.
“It’s a very disappointing result for women and families, who have already had to wait years to be able to access these services in South Australia,” he said.
“These were common sense reforms and would have allowed women to arrange altruistic surrogacies in South Australia.
“Despite the bill being sponsored by Attorney General John Rau in the House of Assembly after smooth passage through the Legislative Council, the government still could not get enough MPs to the house to allow debate on the bill in the dying minutes of the final day of sitting.”
