Mothers are not appendages. Just because children cannot live with their parents does not mean adoption – the only time an adoption is valid if an earthquake occurs and some children’s parents die – they are true orphans – and the present perception and belief a child wont love the permanent carer or foster parent – unless they are adopted – placing adoption equals love. Adoption has nothing to do with caring for children – the only time a change of identity was justified was when Hitler’s son changed his identity and not have children – guardianship must replace adoption. For those who cannot produce their own offspring – it is about ownership – children are not puppy dogs – Victoria must taken into account what has been exposed in Norway with adopted children in majority of cases no longer safe and it has become a breeding ground for pornographic and sexual trading situations of innocent children .
Motherhood is the miracle of life and before any adoption legislation comes into place – the natural parents are the legal guardians of their children – yes we must protect children from a violent environment but culture heritage and identity is the most sacred bond a human being possesses and nobody – has any legal right to deny a child their culture, heritage and identity – the law does not allow it for indigenous children and the law must be equally applied for non indigenous children.
It is essential equality for mothers, fathers, siblings as to identifying information are equal to those adopted persons receive. At present inequality exists in a very unfavourable way towards natural parents and siblings. Further in relation to adopted persons obtaining copies of mothers, fathers birth certificates, marriage certificates WITHOUT PERMISSION OF PERSONS WHOSE NAME APPEAR ON CERTIFICATES in line with Birth, Deaths and Marriages Legislation – is illegal – it is not included in adoption legislation but written advice from Open Place, FIND – Register of Births, Deaths and Marriages all clearly stated adopted persons are only entitled to a copy of their original birth certificates – they do not have exemption under the privacy act to receive copies of above stated certificates. Through VANISH it appears somehow many adopted persons are obtaining copies of these above mentioned certificates – and Registrar BDM has stated if provided with evidence of an adopted person obtaining such mentioned certificates without the permission of the person or persons whose names appear on such certificates – they will immediately carried out a legal investigation into the illegal breach of names persons’ under the Privacy Act
It is further stated children of adopted persons can also obtain identifying information of natural parents – the legislation does not state same – this needs to be seriously considered under identifying information and equality across the board must prevail. A natural parent who gave birth to a daughter does not receive identifying information – if she has married – only her maiden name which then is impossible to carry out a search – a further inequality in existence. If a natural parent seeks identifying information about a son – the surname is the same then and same if he has married.
Adoption is the last resort – as indigenous and non indigenous children must be kept within their own culture and heritage – every effort must be carried out for a grandparent, aunt uncle or a family member to become legal guardian of a child under Guardianship law – a child who is unable to live in their own natural environment. Contact with natural parents is essential – to remove a child is to traumatise not only the child but the parent/s – and every assistance must be given for a child to return to their natural parents – the same as the program carried out in USA – Child Protection Tribunal that assists parents to rehabilitate and they are never denied assess to their children
The Full High Court decision in 1956 and other court cases have set a precedence that the best interest of the child is to remain within their natural environment and adopted parents are 2nd best – since the National Apologies there has been a surge of support from past adopted persons for adoption to be stop – as adoption appears to be in the best interest of those who cannot produce their own offspring – children are not commodities – and the evidence from past adopted persons also is sufficient evidence adoption must cease.
Children are not conceived and born to fulfil the needs of those who are either unable or incapable (against nature) to produce their own offspring – we must protect the natural bond of mother and child – protect children from being removed from their culture and heritage – the same rule applies for indigenous and non indigenous children – inequality and discrimination applies to children as well as adults. Children have human rights – and they must be protected not manipulated into an adult world – under the title “modern family”.
Adoption is the absolute last resort and one argument at present that children in foster care when the reach the age of 18 – they have no where to go – they have a natural family to return to – there are many options available to an adult – what sort of decent people who have raised a child in foster care – kick them out – when a person reaches 18 they are an adult if they do not want to search for their natural families they can legally change their names to match the foster parents – what is being said foster children do not love their foster parents? When turning 18 they might want to search for their natural families – have foster parents not thought about that or are foster parents saying – children when they reach the age of 18 have no rights to search for their natural families?
Through these proposed amendments (and hopefully not already preordained) children are more damaged through adoption – history has proven that – and we cannot make the same mistakes again – the Victorian Government guaranteed the same pain, suffering and damage will never occur again to any natural parent, grandparents, child and their siblings.
To place such limitations on the Consultation process – raises alarm bells – can’t raise adoption laws and practices before Adoption Legislation 1984, can’t raise adoptions by same sex couples, can’t raise inter country adoptions when the discussions are in the best interests of the child – whose interests are being protected through such limitations being set – it certainly appears the amendments are preordained – VLRC are responsible for the future mental health of children – and if amendments are what are already perceived to be in place – in 15-20 years time another Inquiry will be held into the damage these preordained amendments will cause against young children who will have their culture, heritage and identities removed.
=========================================================
Below is an earlier note re/ an insertion that was extracted, not implemented thanks to Mothers Lobbying.
IRM were present and acknowledge on the day it was defeated in Victorian Parliament
I’ve included it for your perusal.
_________________________________________________________________
Shortly after Victorian Parliament presented in 2013, a bipartisan Apology to all families especially to mothers of children illegally removed against the mothers will, the Victorian Liberals introduced an insertion into the Adoption Legislation which discriminates against mothers.
This was a slap in the face to all the women who fought to have their truth acknowledged and brought to the counties attention.
Nowhere was any adopted person inflicted with this same The Victorian Liberals introduced restriction or threatened with a consequential gaol term for having make contact with their mother.
A mother on the other hand was being treated like a criminal if her son or daughter chose to lodge a contact statement and she made contact. A fine of up to $8,000 could be imposed.
What was going on?
Labor submitted a bill to amendment this discriminating Legislation.
S. 127A inserted by No. 25/2013 s. 8.
127A Contact contrary to current contact statement prohibited
(1) In this section—
relevant person means a person specified in a current contact statement as a person by whom an adopted person does not wish to be contacted.
(2) A person who is a natural parent of an adopted person and who knows that he or she is a relevant person must not intentionally—
(a) contact or attempt to contact the adopted person; or
(b) procure another person to contact or arrange contact with the adopted person—
unless the contact is a continuation of, or of a similar kind to, contact that the person had had with the adopted person before the person knew of the current contact statement.
Penalty: 60 penalty units.
(3) Subsection (2) is not contravened if the adopted person initiated the contact with the person.
The Victorian coalition has rejected the bill on the 24th June 2015 even after compassionate speeches made by labor members.
The Bill is scheduled to be presented again on 4th or 6th August and we urge mothers to be in the Gallery.
Sexism is no better than racism and this legislation is aimed at MOTHERS.
It is an attempt to silence and eliminate women = after all there are already legal restrictions in place to deal with harassment making this legislation clearly about an attack on women who have been violently sexually abused and betrayed by past practises and procedures leading to her thorough demise. The State and National Apologies restored her motherhood, but this legislation reiterates the crimes and discrimination committed against her.