Western Australian Liberal leader Basil Zempilas has voiced his support for the Assisted Reproductive Technology and Surrogacy Bill currently being considered by parliament.
While Deputy Liberal leader Libby Mettam, as the lead speaker for the party, detailed a long list of reasons she was opposed to the passage of the bill, Zempilas said he’d be voting yes.
On Tuesday Zempilas said when the notice of the bill was given he anticipated being contacted by a large number of people opposed to the legislation from both his electorate and the wider community, but he’d been surprised that little correspondence had flowed through.
Zempilas said the legislation had his support.
“After careful consideration, I will support the bill so that this can become a reality—that those Western Australians who cannot access surrogacy will be able to access surrogacy—and that the law in Western Australia recognises and respects equally the rights of all in this state to raise a family.
“It is a very relevant and pertinent point that if the barriers no longer exist in other jurisdictions around Australia for people to become surrogates or to access surrogacy, why should those barriers exist in Western Australia? As those of us who are lucky enough to be parents know, there is really no greater gift.” Zempilas said.
His comments followed on from colleague John Huston who also indicated he’d be supporting the legislation. Huston, the new member for Nedlands, gave a passionate plea for supporting the bill.
Huston shared that two of his own daughters had been born via IVF, and he considered the legislation from his political perspective, noting he was a liberal – not a conservative.
“As Liberals, we are focused on freedom and individual choice. This bill is about people and freedom. To me, it is about the right of every Western Australian to decide how they will shape their own destiny. That is where I come into politics at every level and the point that I take every time I make a decision. This is in fact us making a decision about who gets the right to love, in a way.
“As a Liberal, the last thing I would ever do is tell someone how, when or to what extent they should love. It is an individual freedom.
“It is primary, classic liberalism. For more than two centuries, the history of western civilisation has been a growth of this individual journey of freedom, from the divine right of kings and the nobility to the end of slavery, the beginning of the suffragettes and voting rights for women, and gay rights. This is just one more step in a journey of liberalism that has taken 200 years and has always been about giving the individual the right to choose the way they live their life.” Huston said.
Debate on the bill is continuing in parliament.
