Nile moves to ban same-sex couple adoption

By Andrew M Potts -

The Rev. Fred Nile has sought leave to move a bill to roll back the right of gays and lesbians to adopt in NSW on only his fourth day back in the Parliament.
On May 5, Nile moved, “that leave be given to bring in a bill for an Act to amend the Adoption Act 2000 to repeal the amendments made by the Adoption Amendment (Same Sex Couples) Act 2010 that enable couples of the same sex to adopt children; and for other purposes,” having given notice of the bill the previous day.
Nile previously attempted to ban same-sex couples from adopting in 2004 – before they gained the right to do so.
The bill was just one of thirteen the Christian Democratic Party leader sought leave to move on the day, with others aiming to outlaw prostitution, raise the drinking age to 21, ban full face coverings in public, establish a Family Impact Commission to vet proposed legislation, ban ethics classes as an alternative to scripture, and to rename members of the Legislative Council as “State Senators”.
However with Premier Barry O’Farrell and the former premier Kristina Keneally both telling a pre-election Australian Christian Lobby forum that they would not roll back the right of same-sex couples to adopt, Nile is unlikely to succeed with his adoption ban bill.
Nile also tabled a petition against same sex adoption which had been signed by less than 170 people.
On the same day Greens MLC Kate Faehrmann sought leave to move a motion calling on the Legislative Assembly to legalise same-sex marriage under state law if the Federal Government failed to act by the end of the year.
The motion read, “this House notes that: there is overwhelming public support for marriage equality in Australia; a growing number of jurisdictions overseas have legislated for marriage equality including the Netherlands, Belgium, Norway, Spain, Canada and South Africa; constitutional law expert Professor George Williams has advised that marriage equality laws can be enacted by the states, and the Australian Greens’ Marriage Equality (Amendment) Bill 2010 is currently before the Federal Parliament.”
“In the event that the Federal Parliament fails to legislate for marriage equality in 2011, this House calls on the New South Wales Government to legislate to allow marriage between adults in New South Wales regardless of sexual orientation, sex and gender identity.”