Adoption Law Review "Politically Correct Agenda"

Friday 29th Sep 2000
Dr Muriel Newman
Media Release -- Social Welfare

A Law Commission report on changes to our adoption laws, was a politically correct agenda driven by “academic ideologues,” ACT Social Welfare spokesman Dr Muriel Newman said today.

The 300-page report from the commission advocates wide-ranging changes to the adoption laws including allowing gays, lesbians and de facto couples to adopt children, single men to adopt girls and outlawing private adoptions.

Dr Newman said laws relating to adoption must focus on the rights and best interests of the child, not the parents.

“Before we get excited about the issues raised in the Law Commission’s report, as politicians, we must stop and ask ourselves how many people who are now adults, have come banging on our doors, saying their lives would have been much better if gay or lesbian parents had been allowed to adopt them? I have yet to find anyone who has even received a letter to that effect,” Dr Newman said.

Dr Newman lambasted the new report as the product of “a quango costing millions of dollars that is answerable to no one.”

“This report on adoption, which is bound to cause mischief, is clearly driven by political correctness and ideology, and if the Labour-Alliance Government has its way, will mean another nail in the coffin of family values.

“One important thing we must remember is that we should not make laws to keep people with ideological agendas happy,” Dr Newman said.

ENDS

For more information visit ACT online at http://www.act.org.nz or contact the ACT Parliamentary Office at act@parliament.govt.nz.

© Scoop Media