AUSTRALIA
The Guardian (UK)
Richard Ackland
theguardian.com, Thursday 14 August 2014
As the baby Gammy story hit the headlines, Australians suddenly realised that a person with 22 child sex convictions, including unlawful and indecent dealing with girls as young as seven years old, can have a baby girl by surrogacy – and the law is silent.
So what can be done about it? One way of making children safe would be to licence intending parents. A great government agency handing out permissions for people to have children would be just the ticket.
Who will licence the licensers and what criteria or tests will be applied are difficulties that could be managed by skilfully drafted legislation. This uniform law would be administered by a reproductive management commission, safely housed in Kevin Andrews’ department of social services.
First and foremost the commission would be licensing quality people, people who are likely to produce superior children. The permitted progeny don’t necessarily have to have blond hair or blue eyes, but that would be a discretion left to the minister.
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