Family Relationships (Parentage) Amendment Bill

This speech is to indicate support for the Family Relationships (Parentage) Amendment Bill and to encourage other members to support the bill too.

Adjourned debate on second reading.

(Continued from 30 June 2010.)

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK (23:39): It should not come as much of a surprise that I will be supporting this bill. It has been already expressed that we are the last jurisdiction to implement such an amendment and I do not see any purpose in making life difficult for same-sex couples by continuing to deny them this right which would be provided for by this measure.

 Really, in a practical sense, it is all those issues to do with plane travel, picking their child up from school, health matters and all those things. I actually think it is quite mean-spirited for people to take the attitude that, by somehow making life more inconvenient for same-sex couples, it is actually going to diminish the prevalence of same-sex relationships in the community. I think it is quite childish and quite un-Christian, and I encourage members to support this bill.