Doug PollardTranscript - Felicity Marlowe & Victorian adoption law reform
DOUG: Next … is an old friend of this programme’s and of Joy’s – and of mine, Felicity Marlowe from Love Makes a Family, Rainbow Families – you name it and if it’s gay families, Felicity’s there and she joins us on the line, now – good morning, Felicity.
FELICITY: Good morning, Doug. How you going?
DOUG: I’m going pretty well. How’s your circus morning been?
FELICITY: Oh, good – they’re on the trampoline as we speak so it’s all good, I can do the interview. I’m ready to go.
DOUG: [laughs] That’s great; now, you’re starting up a new campaign to call for the legalisation of same-sex adoption in Victoria. I thought we already had rights in this regard?
FELICITY: Look, we don’t; one of the issues that was raised in the final Victorian Law Reform Commission report, were five recommendations around the Adoption Act and what needed to change with that and also, with the way DHS treats and trains its workers and introduces same-sex families into the field of being able to come forward and be adoptive parents. Those five recommendations were not picked up as part of the Assisted Reproductive Treatment Act that we saw come into play in 2008 – instead, they referred them to a federal committee and it’s been two-and-a-half years so nothing has changed. Which is why we’ve launched the campaign.
DOUG: Ah – so, basically things came to a shuddering halt. The committee hasn’t produced any kind of report – or has there even been a committee?
FELICITY: Yeah. It’s part of the – m’mm, Federal Community and Disability Services Minister’s [indistinct] which is their fancy name for a group - - -
DOUG: Yeah - - -
DOUG: Oh, they do. They are fond of that aren’t they?
FELICITY: Yeah – which of course, when you’ve got so many states and territories and different competing needs and ideas, takes a long time and the June-four-minutes of that group of which Minister Lisa Neville is the member, have said that they’re going to do two new reports on looking at adoption practices and another one which I can’t quite recall. But basically, putting off any final decision until at least, the end of 2011 and depending on the federal election - - -
DOUG: M’mm - - -
FELICITY: - - - it could be even later and we’re not prepared to wait that long.
DOUG: Do I detect a wish to get this off the agenda in the up-coming state election?
FELICITY: Absolutely.
DOUG: On their part?
FELICITY: Yeah – I mean, we just think the state government has some unfinished business and if they’re really interested in the best interests and rights of children then those families are [indistinct] same-sex parented families that have foster or permanent-care children in their care or who are forming partnerships with existing children from previous relationships. Adoption should be an option for those families and for those children, to ensure their best interests and rights are upheld. The state government hasn’t followed through on their intention to do that and we’d like to see them get a wriggle on and get some commitment before the November state election.
DOUG: Yeah, because it’s proving to be a bit of a controversial thing in New South Wales, where there is a Bill going through but it’s run into stiff opposition from church groups.
FELICITY: I think more – m’mm, the issue in New South Wales I guess, that’s the Private Member’s Bill – Clover Moore’s Bills, that’s going to start debate on 31 August so we’ll be really watching quite closely how the debate pans out across the ALP particularly – and the Liberal Party – and to see what sort of arguments they come up with but also the fact they’ve been provided a conscience vote in the ALP in New South Wales and we’d like to see the same thing, of course, happen in Victoria.
DOUG: Right - - -
FELICITY: But in terms of Anglicare and those organisations I think, there’s been an article in this weeks MCV that highlights the difference. Anglicare might have an opinion of one kind in New South Wales but the Victorian Anglicare branch has a different opinion and we’re hoping to build a bit of an alliance with organisations like Anglicare and the other organisations that provide adoption and foster care services – and see if we can get to some kind of common understanding about – yeah, moving this campaign forward.
DOUG: Okay – so, what are the steps in your campaign; what are you actually going to be doing, physically?
FELICITY: Well, first and foremost because this is a federal election and we don’t want to confuse people so, we’re just asking everybody to go to our Rainbow Families Council website, click on the campaign section and you’ll see there’s four, quick steps – the very first one is a survey, a monkey survey and we’re just wanting to get some – increase people’s understanding about the issues but also, get a bit of feedback from the community about how important these issues are to them. That’s open until 5 September and apart from that, what we’re really doing is gathering family stories from people that are willing to tell their family stories. This is a really key component of our “Love Makes A Family” campaign in 2008 and one of the things that many MPs said they read more than anything else, was(sic) the stories from real people about their families and the children. So, we really love people to get in contact with us and offer their stories. Aside from that, people can join the working group. We’ve got an adoption campaign working group - - -
DOUG: M’mm?
FELICITY: - - - we’re going to meet in early-September and it’s really, whether you’ve ever done anything like this before or you’d just like to offer to help do a few, little things it doesn’t matter. Everything adds up and we’d love to have more people on board.
DOUG: Well, I think it’s true with all this kind of law reform. But particularly when we are talking about same-sex families, the important thing is that politicians should hear the personal stories of same-sex families and how these problems with the law impact on them and also, meet some same-sex families, too – you had a very successful campaign to get people to go along and visit their local member of surgeries, didn’t you?
FELICITY: They did – they’re not called “surgeries” in Australia but yes
DOUG: Well, that’s what I call them ‘cause I’m British.
FELICITY: Yes. (and)We did and it was fantastic and just that meeting of families and people going in – and people took their mums and their sisters and their brothers and in the end – you know, people – friends and child care, kindy(sic) and playgroup were going in and saying: I know some people that are impacted by these laws. It made such a difference and it wasn’t hard to organise, it took a bit of reading and thinking but – you know, it’s 20-minutes of your time, probably takes another 20-minutes to make the ‘phone call, secure the time – organise the calendar, to go along. But the impact is huge and we think that that strategy is something we can implement for the adoption campaign but really [indistinct] strategy that we should be implementing for marriage equality, for surrogacy issues, for federally – for a whole range of things, it’s just very, very effective and it’s something that once you’ve [indistinct] the political process [indistinct] meet some politicians they’re not that scary, really.
DOUG: I don’t think politicians are scary at all. I think they’re more scared of us than we are of them, most of the time - - -
FELICITY: [Indistinct] is pretty scary, have you seen him? He’s enormous.
DOUG: Well – I mean, I think they’re all pretty nice especially when there’s an election in the offing - - -
FELICITY: That’s true.
DOUG: They have to be, Felicity. They have to be. I always try and remind myself and I remind other people – you know, you get politicians standing up on their hind legs and saying: I’m very proud to take this role – you know, and – “to be of service to the public” – and I always like to say, well, I’m public and I’m not getting any service, here. Just to remind them that they are public servants and we are the public, just as much as anybody else is and we are voters just the same as everybody else.
FELICITY: That’s right – and if anything a nice picture with your local politician in your local Leader magazine or whatever your local newspaper is in your region, they’ll jump at the chance. If you happen to have your ‘photo with a few kids and the dog and a few balloons - - -
DOUG: Indeed. Indeed - - -
FELICITY: - - - article and they can’t really back out from that - - -
DOUG: Well, we’re going to find out some more about gay families in a moment. Because I’ve got a couple of gay dads here, in the studio. I’ve got Wayne Elliot and James Christoffelz. We’re going to be talking about the gay dads’ conference coming up and we also, will of course be talking about your campaign, too. Thank you for joining us this morning, Felicity.
FELICITY: Thanks for having me on.
DOUG: (and)Thanks for all the good work you’ve been doing in this regard for it seems – like, forever.
FELICITY: It does seem like that, doesn’t it?
DOUG: Well – I mean, when you first started on this you didn’t have children and how old are your children now?
FELICITY: The boys are four and Maude’s two, so, they’re getting on.
DOUG: They’re getting on a bit, we’re getting on a bit – well, anyway, keep up the good work.
FELICITY: Thanks very much Doug, thanks for your support.
DOUG: Yeah, you’re more than welcome – that was Felicity Marlowe, there. From the Rainbow Families’ Council, Love Makes A Family. (and)You can go along to their website which is: rainbowfamilies.org.au and find out more about the campaign that they’re running, do the survey and possibly, volunteer to front up to your local MP and as Felicity suggested, get your picture taken with him in the local paper with the kids and a few balloons and then he can’t back down from supporting you afterwards.
