The Associated Press: Deborra-lee’ s adoption victory
Deborra-lee’ s adoption victory
Article from: The Associated Press
By Ellen Connolly
December 23, 2007 12:00am
ACTOR Deborra-lee Furness and The Sunday Telegraph have won
a major victory in a campaign to overhaul Australia’s
anti-adoption culture.
The Rudd Government announced last week it would create a
federal governing body to streamline the system, cut waiting
lists and make overseas adoption a “priority”.
The Government said while the states would still have
carriage of applications, Canberra would establish national
uniform regulations, as well as open up new adoption
programs with more overseas countries.
A peak federal body of state representatives is also being
formed.
“I’m absolutely thrilled,” Furness said. “It’s the first
sign of the new leadership taking charge of this issue.
“This is the beginning - now we have many more steps to go.”
It follows a four-month campaign by Furness and The Sunday
Telegraph in highlighting the inadequacies of Australia’s
inter-country adoption procedures. Australia currently has
the second-lowest rate of overseas adoption in the world.
Furness brought the issue into the public arena in August
when she spoke of the obstacles she and husband Hugh Jackman
encountered when they tried to adopt in Australia eight
years ago.
The couple endured a series of bureaucratic blocks and an
unsupportive Community Services Department. In the end they
gave up and returned to the US, where the process of
adopting their two children, Oscar and Ava, was efficient
and supportive to parents.
Since then, Furness has formed an action group and held
meetings with the Attorney-General’ s department and deputy
leader Julia Gillard.
International Adoptive Families of Queensland president Mark
Byrne praised the campaign for bringing the issue to the
fore.
“We’ve been pushing for these changes for years but it took
Deborra-lee and your paper to make it happen much more
quickly,” he said.
He said, as the number of local adoptions in Australia
continued to fall, the demand from childless couples to
adopt overseas would only grow.
A spokesman for Attorney-General Robert McClelland said the
renegotiated Commonwealth- State agreement on adoption was
being formalised.
“We are eager to work with the states to ensure the best
outcomes for Australian families. We are committed to the
harmonising of Australia’s intercountry adoption practices
and reduced waiting lists are obviously desirable,” the
spokesman said.
Ricky Brisson, who runs Australian Intercountry Adoption
Network, wants the Government to allow accredited
specialised agencies to take over the role of state DoCS in
adoption applications.
Alison Rigby, who adopted orphaned twins from Colombia, said
the process was “very drawn out” and cost $80,000.
“I really feel very concerned for people now who are just
starting to adopt because there are fewer countries, the age
criteria is getting younger, and families are waiting longer
and longer,” Ms Rigby said.
When she was in Colombia she met couples from the US, Norway
and Sweden, who spoke of the ease and tax concessions they
were offered by their countries.
Furness said she wanted Australia to bring new countries
into the Hague Convention, which would cut the seven-year
waiting lists.
http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,22963873-5006009,00.html
April 2nd, 2008 at 6:11 pm
I would like to contact Deborah Lee Furness and have her speak at our Network North function.
I have three children and many friends with adopted children and I firmly believe in what Deborah is working towards with respect to adoption.
Many couples in Australia would be able to adopt a child from Korea and China and assist in stopping this terrible situation with helpless babies.
I know many people who have paid thousands and thousands of dollars to adopt two children from Asian countries. I would like to help. I have a friend who has two adopted Korean children and they are adorable. I cannot understand why it is so difficult for wealthy Australians to adopt poverty stricken children. I totally agree with what Deborah Lee Furness is advocating.
I run a woman’s networking organisation in the northern suburbs of Sydney.
It would be fantastic if Deborah would be able to come and speak at one of our functions and discuss this situation.
I would really appreciate if you could give me her contact details.
Kind regards,
Adrienne McLean
Network North