The Territory Labor Government has today made history in the NT with with the passage of the Surrogacy Bill 2022.
The Bill establishes a statutory framework to regulate domestic surrogacy in the Northern Territory for the first time. This Bill also explicitly outlaws commercial surrogacy.
The Bill allows those who have struggled through conventional methods of building a family to have the same opportunities to become parents.
The Bill provides a pathway for the transfer of parentage of a child born of a surrogacy arrangement under the required statutory safeguards.
The rights of the child are at the forefront of this Bill. This Bill also includes protections to protect both parties from exploitation, and other protections such as ensuring surrogate mothers have the same rights to manage their pregnancies and birth as any other woman.
The Bill follows years of groundwork, through research, consultation, public discussions and meetings with stakeholders.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Health, Natasha Fyles:
“We know not all families can follow the same path towards parenthood – for those where surrogacy is the best option, this Bill provides a pathway and framework.
“The Bill, for the very first time, provides legal clarity for Territorians entering into a surrogacy arrangement and ensures that a child born of such an arrangement has the same legal status and rights as any other child.
“It also means people no longer need to leave the Territory to access surrogacy in other Australian jurisdictions or overseas.”
