Labor and Liberal at odds over criminal checks for potential parents using surrogacy

MPs will go to a conscience vote on the Surrogacy Bill – as they differ on what level of protection is necessary.

• Opinion: Policy change won’t lead to hundreds of adoptions

Labor MPs are insisting that people seeking a child via surrogacy undergo a background screening - but the Attorney-General argues the move is unworkable and will delay long-awaited changes.

MPs are debating the Surrogacy Bill in Parliament and will have a conscience vote on the outcome.

Liberal MP Paula Luethen on Tuesday put forward an amendment that would require potential parents to undergo a Working With Children Check to access surrogacy, but yesterday withdrew it, opting instead for a police check.

Labor MP Jayne Stinson said the Working With Children Check imposed a “higher level” of scrutiny and has now put her own amendment insisting on that measure.

Labor MP Jayne Stinson said the changes were worth the time, to ensure protection for children born via surrogacy.

These are done by a government screening unit, taking in national information from courts, child protection and other agencies as well as police.

Attorney-General Vickie Chapman said current laws and governmental agreements only allowed the unit to screen people seeking employment or volunteer roles and law changes would have to be made to extend it to surrogacy.

This could take “months, even years”, she said.

However, Ms Stinson said the changes were possible and “that time is absolutely worth it” to ensure the highest level of protection for children born via surrogacy. Her proposal, supported by Labor Leader Peter Malinauskas, stems from concerns people with a criminal record may seek surrogacy to exploit or abuse a child.

Ms Luethen said a national police check could be done from “day one”.