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Queensland Parliamentary Debates [Hansard] Legislative Assembly WEDNESDAY, 12 MARCH 1986 Electronic reproduction of original hardcopy Ministerial Statements 12 March 1984 4027 WEDNESDAY, 12 MARCH 1986 Mr SPEAKER (Hon, J. H. Waraer, Toowoomba South) read prayers and took the chair at 11 a.m. PETITIONS The Clerk announced the receipt of the following petitions— Australia Acts (Request) Act From Mr Simpson (24 signatories) praying that the Parliament of Queensland will repeal the Australia Acts (Request) Act and allow a referendum in terms of the Queensland Constitution. [A similar petition was received from Mr Cahill (20 signatories).] Griffith University Course in Family Relationships From Mr Muntz (29 signatories) praying that the Parliament of Queensland will establish an inquiry into the Griffith University course in family relationships. [Similar petitions were received from Mr McPhie (14 signatories) and Mr Cahill (14 signatories),] Coronary Care Unit, Cairns Base Hospital From Mr De Lacy (558 signatories) praying that the Parliament of Queensland will take action to overcome shortage of staff at the Coronary Care Unit at the Caims Base Hospital. Petitions received. PAPERS The following papers were laid on the table— Orders in Council under the City of Brisbane Act 1924-1984 and the Statutory Bodies Financial Arrangements Act 1982-1984 Regulations under the Sewerage and Water Supply Act 1949-1985. MINISTERIAL STATEMENTS Overseas Adoptions Hon. Y. A. CHAPMAN (Pine Rivers—Minister for Welfare Services, Youth and Ethnic Affairs) (11.2 a.m.), by leave: I feel obliged to bring to the notice of honourable members and the public of Queensland a matter that has caused me a great deal of concera in the few weeks since I became Minister responsible for adoptions in this State. I speak of what appears to be an increasing trend by couples to make their own arrangements and adopt children in foreign countries, ignoring the procedures of the Department of Children's Services. Obviously, most of those people are well meaning and desperate to have a child. Although I can fully understand their feelings, I would be failing in my duty if I did not wara them and others of the risks that they are taking. In the last few weeks, some tragic cases have come to my attention. In one instance, two women are virtually stranded in a Latin American country with three children aged 6'/2 years, IVi years and 8 months. The women have been there for over three months and their husbands in Queensland are, understandably, almost at their wits' end. They told me that they moved their residential address to Victoria temporarily because they 4028 12 March 1984 Ministerial Statements were under the impression that it was easier and quicker under Victorian laws to adopt from overseas. The wives went to the foreign country and arranged custody of three children but, in the interim, found that the Victorian authorities would not support adoption. The Commonwealth Minister has the power to issue visas for the children to enter Australia under his guardianship. However, it has long been Commonwealth Goverament policy that visas should be issued to children only in intercountry adoption cases where— the overseas adoption order would be likely of recognition in the State/Territory of residence of the adoptive parents; or the adoption proposal is supported by the State/Territory child welfare authority. I am advised that all States agree with that policy. As the parents in the instance to which I have referred had not been assessed by the Department of Children's Services, there is no way that a guarantee of adoption could have been given. The families have therefore put themselves into a very difficult and expensive situation, having taken custody of the children but not being able to get them back into Australia. Other cases of this type have been brought to my notice and I believe that I should issue the strongest possible waraing to anyone else who might be contemplating similar action. Unfortunately there is no short-cut in foreign adoptions, and the correct, well-established procedures must be followed to avoid any possible malpractices and to safeguard the interest of all parties. There are very good reasons why all States of Australia have agreed that couples must be approved for adoption in Australia and that they must work through authorised agencies in Australia. Those reasons include the need to ensure that any child offered in a foreign country is, in fact, available for adoption. By that, I mean that the chUd has not been stolen from his or her parents, or bought from his or her parents. I have it on good authority that children are offered for sale in some countries and that organised groups of people use deception to take children away from their parents for their subsequent sale to, or so-called adoption by, foreigners. Another very compelling reason is that, when the child finally returas to Australia, the couple must be certain that they have legal custody of the child. If that does not happen, it is possible that a relative of the child in the foreign country from which he or she came could use interaational law governing child abduction to seek the child's retum. In addition, from Australia's point of view, it is important to be sure that couples who adopt children from foreign countries do so for the right reasons and that children in their care will not be exploited or abused. That may sound a littie unhkely, but I can say with assurance that my department has ample evidence to show that, where Children are involved, not everybody's interests and intentions are honourable. The procedures that have been laid down for intercountry adoptions are laid down for the very good purpose of protecting the interests of children and the couples who seek to adopt them. I can assure all honourable members that Queensland, in no way, will be associated with shonky deals involving children. I would urge any couple considering adopting a child or children from a foreign country to work through the only recognised adoption agency in this State, that is, the Department of Children's Services. I feel I should point out also, in conclusion, that Queensland children with special needs are available for adoption. Some are physically or intellectually handicapped. Couples who are contemplating adopting a child from overseas could be interested in helping those children, whose special needs require very special parents. Recruitment of Teachers Overseas Hon. L. W. POWELL (Isis—Minister for Education) (11.8 a.m.), by leave: I refer to an article that appeared in today's edition of The Courier-Mail, headed "Teacher Import Plans Blocked". It has been necessary for my department to recmit up to 60 Ministerial Statements 12 March 1984 4029 teachers in connection with the additional allocation of $ 10m for technical and fiirther education purposes. Mr De Lacy: Shame! Mr POWELL: The honourable member for Caims called out "Shame!" Obviously he is unconcerned about the tourist industry in this State. I should think that, coming from where he does, he would be more interested in it than in his own political aspirations. As required by the immigration process, discussions have been held with represen­ tatives of the Professional Officers Association. However, the association has been adamant that it will not agree to my department's request unless certain conditions are met. I am sure that the Parliament will be interested in these conditions— (a) A renegotiation of the salary scales payable to technical teachers in TAFE. The union has been advised in discussions that that is not possible as salary rates are set by the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Commission. The next condition is— (b) That the Department of Education increases its Beginning Teacher Program in TAFE. The union has been advised that, even if this were possible and funds were available to increase the program, graduates from this two-year course would not be avaUable in time to meet the teaching needs that are immediate and not able to be postponed. The conditions that the union wishes to place upon this Goverament are intolerable and totally restrictive. The last condition is— (c) Consideration of the employment of present part-time teachers. The union was invited to provide a list of such teachers who would be prepared to serve wherever required in the colleges of TAFE. After some delay, a short list of six names was provided, and that list has been referred to the director of TAFE. However, by and large, part-time teachers are not teacher-trained in the sense of having completed a recognised teacher-preparation course. 1 am advised that it is now possible to appeal against the refiisal of the union to bring in teachers from overseas. With this in view, one selected nomination for a teacher to meet the needs of this program has been submitted to the Commonwealth authorities. I understand from a radio news broadcast that that request has been refused. I object strongly to having to get that sort of information from a radio news broadcast. The relevant Federal Minister did not even have the courtesy to write to my department. I will now be writing to the Federal authorities to overmle the objections of the Professional Officers Association on the ground of the needs of students. Obviously, the association is not interested in the students. I am further advised that the Professional Officers Association has written to the Federal Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs to advise him that it wishes to object strongly to our proposal to recmit teachers from overseas. I believe it is possible that the question asked in the Federal House yesterday arose from that correspondence.

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