House of Representatives

Monday, 22 February 2010

Donor Conception Support Group of Australia

9:40 pm

  Steve Irons (Swan, Liberal Party)

Today the parliament was visited by members of the Donor Conception Support Group of Australia . I have recently become the patron of this organisation and pass on the sincere thanks of the Donor Conception Support Group to my colleagues who attended the presentation they gave. Particular thanks should go to Senator Trish Crossin, who arranged the briefing and facilitated the event.

Members and senators from across the political spectrum attended and had many questions to ask the presenters, who ranged from being IVF children who are now adults to IVF parents and sperm donors.

The Donor Conception Support Group provides support for: (1) people considering using donor conception; (2) people undergoing treatment; (3) parents of donor offspring; and, (4) donor-conceived people. Representatives came to parliament today to officially present a petition calling for an inquiry into donor conception practices. The group are also trying to achieve a national register, and I hope in the short time I have that I will be able to convey their argument with a clarity that does them justice.

The group were represented by four donor parents, one donor and two donor-conceived persons. Each had their own reasons for being here today and I want to read out some of their comments so that the House can hear their stories and consider their arguments.

Damien Adams, who was a donor-conceived child, said:

After having children of my own I came to realise what my conception had truly deprived me of. I had lost my kinship, my heritage, my identity and my health history. This realisation was crushing, depressing and immensely painful.

Geraldine Hewitt, another IVF child, and daughter of Leonie, said:

My biological father; my donor—his donor code is JAX . In 1982, he began donating to the Royal Hospital for Women in Paddington, Sydney. He continued to do so for the next three years. During the course of his association with the hospital, four babies were born; 1 boy and 3 girls. I am one of those babies. All of us were born in 1983. I have no further information about my half-siblings. We all turn 27 this year.