Doug PollardTranscript: Anglicare NSW and same-sex adoption
DOUG: We have a lot of stories today relating to adoption and fostering – and to being a gay dad or a gay mum. You might think that the welfare arm of one of Australia’s major churches, the Anglican Church, would be in favour of adoption by couples even if they were same-sex couples. You kind of expect the Catholic Church to be aggin-it(sic) but – anyway, when the New South Wales Parliament started debating the whole issue of same-sex adoption Anglicare, the welfare arm of the Anglican Church wrote to New South Wales parliamentarians urging them to vote against it. Somebody who’s very cross about that is our next guest Michael Colling, who’s the Director of Schools’ Youth Services – good morning, Michael.
MICHAEL: Good morning, Doug. Thanks for having me on.
DOUG: You’re welcome; now, explain what’s going on here with Anglicare NSW and the New South Wales same-sex adoption proposals?
MICHAEL: Okay – well, the Bill has been introduced in June by an independent MP in New South Wales, Clover Moore. That was seeking to legalise adoption for gay couples which I thought was fantastic and then I read via the news that Anglicare who is an Australia-wide charity and an organization predominantly that works with young people in areas of fostering and adoption – and so forth, had decided to lobby the New South Wales MPs to actually block that Bill and to seek an exemption that their service, Anglicare as well as CentreCare which is the branch of the Catholic Church as well, be exempt from that so they could exclude gay couples adopting. Which really means there’s only one other adoption agency in New South Wales that would actually benefit from this Bill and that was Bernardo’s so, you’re looking at cutting out two of the major adoption agencies in New South Wales. To be excluded from allowing gay adoption.
DOUG: There’s really no reason for this, no logical reason for this as far as I can tell – is that right?
MICHAEL: Well, there’s certainly no reason – I mean, if you’re looking at – if you want to reference research, there’s certainly no research to indicate that there’s any reason why same-sex attracted people should not adopt. I mean, I know Anglicare allows fostering of(sic) gay couples and I just thought it was a bit hypocritical because I knew there was a shortage of parents that they needed for foster parents. So, they allowed same-sex couples to foster but when it comes to adoption they blanketly(sic) said – well, no, this doesn’t sit with our faith – whereas fostering did so, I didn’t understand why that was happening. But if you look at the research, there was research that came out of the United Kingdom just recently to say that a 20-year long study of children from lesbians actually showed that there was no difference between them(sic) and their peers as far as mental and social development.
DOUG: Yeah, I just got a message in from Corey Illam – hello, Corey. “’New South Wales same-sex adoption update: so far, state MPs have received 28 emails against same-sex adoption and none in favour’ so if you support the best interests of all children in New South Wales now’s the time to let your MP know that you want them to support same-sex adoption” so, if you’re listening in New South Wales, get writing – get emailing, to your members of - - -
MICHAEL: Well, thanks to Corey for messaging in but I can say that as of last Monday the letter that I sent to Anglicare was actually sent to all the MPs. So, they’ve at least had one in support - - -
DOUG: Right, good.
MICHAEL: M’mm, I’ve actually received quite a lot of feedback, I’ve received now over a hundred emails to that email I sent to Anglicare – m’mm, saying that I completely disagreed with their actions and thought it was totally inappropriate – and I’ve received a hundred letters of support from mainly mental health agencies around Australia. Including some in professional roles, overseas - - -
DOUG: Right.
MICHAEL: But certainly, I’ve received about a dozen from New South Wales state MPs in response to my email saying that they rejected Anglicare’s email to them and that they were fully in support of gay adoption with no exceptions. Now, that’s emails to me from at least a dozen of the New South Wales MPs.
DOUG: Right, the emails you got from professionals and so on, supporting you – will you be passing those on to MPs, as well?
MICHAEL: Look, I absolutely can. I thought about doing that but considering the vast amount of volume(sic) of emails I did receive in support of my own letter I think it’s probably worthy of sending them through to the MPs as well.
DOUG: I think that would be, I don’t think there’d be any privacy issue there because they are not publically making a statement are they not - - -
MICHAEL: Absolutely.
DOUG: - - - when is this supposed to come to a vote, do we know?
MICHAEL: M’mm, I’m not sure. I know it’s coming up in the next month or two, the next four to six weeks I’m pretty sure. I’ve been emailing Kristina Keneally who is of course, the New South Wales Premier and as far as I’ve been aware it’s going to be coming up in the next couple of months. So, we really don’t have that much time to email all the MPs, if that’s what people are wanting to do but I certainly recommend that that’s what people do.
DOUG: Yes – m’mm, also we need to say that if you go to the website: glrl.org.au then navigate your way through there is actually a form letter on there you can use and addresses to get in touch with Kristina Keneally so, you can use that as a template - - -
MICHAEL: Fantastic – and look, I would actually throw the net wider than that. I’ve spent a couple of days emailing all the MPs so, I think there’s about 80 or 90 – and those that are actually in parliament and not in parliament that I think – m’mm, it’s important that every single MP in New South Wales receives this letter and that’s what I’ve done. So, if people want to spend the time I know Kristina Keneally’s a great start and she’s certainly worth emailing but I would spend some time emailing some of the other MPs as well.
DOUG: Yeah – so, what is your next step going to be, Michael?
MICHAEL: Well, I think I’ll do what you suggested, Doug. I might forward those over-100 emails that I received in support from some of the agencies around Australia and overseas, to those MPs. Just so they’re aware there’s(sic) quite a lot of people who like me, just think it’s ridiculous that in 2010 this is even an issue, when it come to working with young people which – you know, I’ve done in a professional role for over ten years. This is something that I said in the letter, I would have thought that any agency that is putting any child in loving, caring family should be ecstatic that there’s loving, caring people out there that are wanting to take on the care of a young person or a child, regardless of their sexuality. I just think that’s absurd.
DOUG: Yeah. Has this had much press attention?
MICHAEL: Look, I’m based in Victoria so I’m not aware, I’ve certainly done some searches on line and you have your standard ABC reports on ABC On Line – I know there was something in the Sydney Daily Telegraph but unfortunately like the rally on Saturday it hasn’t received overwhelming media attention so – which is a shame.
DOUG: Oh, well. Well, the best of luck with it, Michael and I do very much encourage everyone – particularly, in New South Wales to get in touch with their MP and make their voice heard. Because not too many people have. Michael, thanks for your time this morning.
MICHAEL: Thanks, Doug.
MICHAEL: Good morning, Doug. Thanks for having me on.
DOUG: You’re welcome; now, explain what’s going on here with Anglicare NSW and the New South Wales same-sex adoption proposals?
MICHAEL: Okay – well, the Bill has been introduced in June by an independent MP in New South Wales, Clover Moore. That was seeking to legalise adoption for gay couples which I thought was fantastic and then I read via the news that Anglicare who is an Australia-wide charity and an organization predominantly that works with young people in areas of fostering and adoption – and so forth, had decided to lobby the New South Wales MPs to actually block that Bill and to seek an exemption that their service, Anglicare as well as CentreCare which is the branch of the Catholic Church as well, be exempt from that so they could exclude gay couples adopting. Which really means there’s only one other adoption agency in New South Wales that would actually benefit from this Bill and that was Bernardo’s so, you’re looking at cutting out two of the major adoption agencies in New South Wales. To be excluded from allowing gay adoption.
DOUG: There’s really no reason for this, no logical reason for this as far as I can tell – is that right?
MICHAEL: Well, there’s certainly no reason – I mean, if you’re looking at – if you want to reference research, there’s certainly no research to indicate that there’s any reason why same-sex attracted people should not adopt. I mean, I know Anglicare allows fostering of(sic) gay couples and I just thought it was a bit hypocritical because I knew there was a shortage of parents that they needed for foster parents. So, they allowed same-sex couples to foster but when it comes to adoption they blanketly(sic) said – well, no, this doesn’t sit with our faith – whereas fostering did so, I didn’t understand why that was happening. But if you look at the research, there was research that came out of the United Kingdom just recently to say that a 20-year long study of children from lesbians actually showed that there was no difference between them(sic) and their peers as far as mental and social development.
DOUG: Yeah, I just got a message in from Corey Illam – hello, Corey. “’New South Wales same-sex adoption update: so far, state MPs have received 28 emails against same-sex adoption and none in favour’ so if you support the best interests of all children in New South Wales now’s the time to let your MP know that you want them to support same-sex adoption” so, if you’re listening in New South Wales, get writing – get emailing, to your members of - - -
MICHAEL: Well, thanks to Corey for messaging in but I can say that as of last Monday the letter that I sent to Anglicare was actually sent to all the MPs. So, they’ve at least had one in support - - -
DOUG: Right, good.
MICHAEL: M’mm, I’ve actually received quite a lot of feedback, I’ve received now over a hundred emails to that email I sent to Anglicare – m’mm, saying that I completely disagreed with their actions and thought it was totally inappropriate – and I’ve received a hundred letters of support from mainly mental health agencies around Australia. Including some in professional roles, overseas - - -
DOUG: Right.
MICHAEL: But certainly, I’ve received about a dozen from New South Wales state MPs in response to my email saying that they rejected Anglicare’s email to them and that they were fully in support of gay adoption with no exceptions. Now, that’s emails to me from at least a dozen of the New South Wales MPs.
DOUG: Right, the emails you got from professionals and so on, supporting you – will you be passing those on to MPs, as well?
MICHAEL: Look, I absolutely can. I thought about doing that but considering the vast amount of volume(sic) of emails I did receive in support of my own letter I think it’s probably worthy of sending them through to the MPs as well.
DOUG: I think that would be, I don’t think there’d be any privacy issue there because they are not publically making a statement are they not - - -
MICHAEL: Absolutely.
DOUG: - - - when is this supposed to come to a vote, do we know?
MICHAEL: M’mm, I’m not sure. I know it’s coming up in the next month or two, the next four to six weeks I’m pretty sure. I’ve been emailing Kristina Keneally who is of course, the New South Wales Premier and as far as I’ve been aware it’s going to be coming up in the next couple of months. So, we really don’t have that much time to email all the MPs, if that’s what people are wanting to do but I certainly recommend that that’s what people do.
DOUG: Yes – m’mm, also we need to say that if you go to the website: glrl.org.au then navigate your way through there is actually a form letter on there you can use and addresses to get in touch with Kristina Keneally so, you can use that as a template - - -
MICHAEL: Fantastic – and look, I would actually throw the net wider than that. I’ve spent a couple of days emailing all the MPs so, I think there’s about 80 or 90 – and those that are actually in parliament and not in parliament that I think – m’mm, it’s important that every single MP in New South Wales receives this letter and that’s what I’ve done. So, if people want to spend the time I know Kristina Keneally’s a great start and she’s certainly worth emailing but I would spend some time emailing some of the other MPs as well.
DOUG: Yeah – so, what is your next step going to be, Michael?
MICHAEL: Well, I think I’ll do what you suggested, Doug. I might forward those over-100 emails that I received in support from some of the agencies around Australia and overseas, to those MPs. Just so they’re aware there’s(sic) quite a lot of people who like me, just think it’s ridiculous that in 2010 this is even an issue, when it come to working with young people which – you know, I’ve done in a professional role for over ten years. This is something that I said in the letter, I would have thought that any agency that is putting any child in loving, caring family should be ecstatic that there’s loving, caring people out there that are wanting to take on the care of a young person or a child, regardless of their sexuality. I just think that’s absurd.
DOUG: Yeah. Has this had much press attention?
MICHAEL: Look, I’m based in Victoria so I’m not aware, I’ve certainly done some searches on line and you have your standard ABC reports on ABC On Line – I know there was something in the Sydney Daily Telegraph but unfortunately like the rally on Saturday it hasn’t received overwhelming media attention so – which is a shame.
DOUG: Oh, well. Well, the best of luck with it, Michael and I do very much encourage everyone – particularly, in New South Wales to get in touch with their MP and make their voice heard. Because not too many people have. Michael, thanks for your time this morning.
MICHAEL: Thanks, Doug.
