THE controversial case of a Bunbury couple’s overseas surrogacy arrangement has prompted a call for an overhaul of Australian law in parliament last month.
South West MLC Robyn McSweeney raised the discussion of the legal and ethical issues surrounding surrogacy legislation after South Bunbury couple David and Wendy Farnell paid a Thai woman to give birth to twins.
The Farnells were accused by the surrogate mother of abandoning baby Gammy, who has Down syndrome, in Thailand.
Ms McSweeney described the “legal minefield” of overseas surrogacy, calling for the introduction of criminal checks on potential parents.
During global media attention on the story of baby Gammy and his twin sister Pipah, it was revealed that Mr Farnell had 22 child sex convictions, including unlawful and indecent dealing with girls as young as seven when he was in his 20s.
“We have this anomaly throughout Australia that at least 400 couples a year go outside Australia to Thailand or elsewhere to pay for a surrogate to have their child,” Ms McSweeney said.
“No checks are done before they leave Australia to sign that contract.
“I do not wish to see any more children in limbo.”
Ms McSweeney said she wanted to see the issue discussed by the Council of Australian Governments because it “should be a whole of Australia issue and not just left to each state’s legislative framework.”
In March this year Ms McSweeney reportedly stated in parliament that serial sex offenders “should have their penis removed with a blunt instrument” after a man known as TJD was freed from prison by a Supreme Court judge.
She reiterated her strong stance in relation to Mr Farnell, saying she “could not condone a convicted sex offender living in the same house as his children”.
Mr Farnell’s daughter Jane spoke to the Bunbury Mail after the story broke last month, saying her father was a good man who did “a really terrible thing a long time ago” but did not pose any threat to his new children.