ACT: ACT Liberals say local gay adoption law may be invalid

AAP General News (Australia)
02-17-2004
ACT: ACT Liberals say local gay adoption law may be invalid

The ACT Liberal Party says it will ask the federal government to examine the validity
of a law which allows homosexuals to adopt children.

The ACT Legislative Assembly last week passed the law which allows gay and lesbian
couples to adopt.

The Liberal opposition opposed the bill.

Deputy Opposition Leader BILL STEFANIAK says he's written to federal Attorney-General
PHILIP RUDDOCK with concerns the law may contravene federal laws and the constitution.

Mr STEFANIAK says the law may be incompatible with the Family Law Act, a number of
international conventions and the commonwealth's power to make laws in regard to marriage,
divorce and the custody and care of infants.

The federal parliament has the power to overturn laws passed by territory parliaments
and in 1997 overrode a Northern Territory law which legalised voluntary euthanasia.

AAP RTV pj/sb/swe

KEYWORD: ADOPT (CANBERRA)

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