Write to Tasmania's Upper House members now!
This action alert was issued by the TGLRG on 25.8.09.
Tasmanian Upper House members have been flooded with emails from people opposed to recognising and protecting families with two mums.
Please take a few moments to send a letter to Upper House members showing that you support this important reform.
Please also distribute this to all your friends.
~ The issue
Last week the Lower House overwhelmingly passed a law which will allow the same-sex partner of a woman who has a child through a fertility treatment like IVF to be deemed the legal co-parent of that child.
This will ensure a child in the care of two mums has the legal, financial and emotional security of two legal parents rather than one.
People who oppose this reform are now bombarding Upper House members in the hope they'll block it.
It is vital that you write to all Upper House members supporting this reform. If you do not act now it may be years before Parliament revisits the issue. The Upper House debate is likely to occur next week.
The points you can make in your letter are:
1. this is not about children having a mother and a father it is about having two legal parents rather than one
2. this reform is in the best interests of those children already in the care of same-sex couples
3. the failure to recognise co-mothers has led to situations in Tasmania where these mothers have been excluded from hospital wards and school activities causing great distress to both mother and child
4. this reform has occurred in most other states and at a federal level
5. Tasmanian law already allows IVF access for women in same-sex relationships, as well as known-child adoption and fostering by same-sex partners
6. this reform is about parenting responsibilities like child support, as well as parenting rights
7. Family Court parenting orders are not a substitute for full parenting rights and responsibilities
For more about these issues visit, http://tglrg.org/more/427_0_1_0_M/
~ Who you should write to
Here is a list of Tasmania's Upper House members.
Please send your letter to your local member and copy it to all other members. Please do not assume your local member either supports or doesn't support this reform.
Email list:
michael.aird@parliament.tas.gov.au, ivan.dean@parliament.tas.gov.au, kerry.finch@parliament.tas.gov.au, ruth.forrest@parliament.tas.gov.au, Michael.gaffney@parliament.tas.gov.au, Vanessa.goodwin@parliament.tas.gov.au, greg.hall@parliament.tas.gov.au, paul.harriss@parliament.tas.gov.au, terry.martin@parliament.tas.gov.au, doug.parkinson@parliament.tas.gov.au, tania.rattraywagner@parliament.tas.gov.au, sue.smith@parliament.tas.gov.au, lin.thorp@parliament.tas.gov.au, jim.wilkinson@parliament.tas.gov.au, don.wing@parliament.tas.gov.au
Full contact details:
Hon Michael Aird
michael.aird@parliament.tas.gov.au
www.michaelaird.org
Derwent, ALP
Level 9, 15 Murray Street, Hobart 7000
Parliament House, Hobart 7000
Office (03) 6233 2229
Fax (03) 6233 6114
Mr Ivan Dean
ivan.dean@parliament.tas.gov.au
Windermere Ind.
One Civic Square Launceston 7250
Parliament House, Hobart 7000
Office (03) 6336 2774
Mobile 0417 364 375
Fax (03) 6331 1606
Office (03) 6233 2295
Hon Kerry Finch
kerry.finch@parliament.tas.gov.au
www.kerryfinch.com
Rosevears Ind. One Civic Square, Launceston 7250
Parliament House, Hobart 7000
Office (03) 6336 2201
Mobile 0407 448 905
Fax (03) 6331 1606
Office (03) 6233 2346
Hon Ruth Forrest
ruth.forrest@parliament.tas.gov.au
Murchison Ind.
PO Box 104, Wynyard 7325
Parliament House, Hobart 7000
Office (03) 6443 8600
Mobile 0419 879 524
Fax (03) 6443 8603
Office (03) 6233 2316
Mr Mike Gaffney
Michael.gaffney@parliament.tas.gov.au
Mersey Ind.
Shop 3, Lauriston Arcade, 126 Best Street, Devonport 7310
Parliament House, Hobart 7000
Office (03) 6421 7679
Fax (03) 6423 5804
Office (03) 6233 2340
Hon Vanessa Goodwin
Vanessa.goodwin@parliament.tas.gov.au
Pembroke LP
3/90 Clarence Street, Bellerive 7018
Parliament House, Hobart 7000
Office (03) 6233 2351
Fax (03) 6244 8392
Hon Greg Hall
greg.hall@parliament.tas.gov.au
www.greghall.id.au
Western Tiers Ind.
PO Box 361, Deloraine 7304
Parliament House, Hobart 7000
Office (03) 6362 8020
Mobile 0418 132 997
Fax (03) 6362 8022
Office (03) 6233 2347
Hon Paul Harriss
paul.harriss@parliament.tas.gov.au
Huon Ind.
Suite7, 1st Floor, 16 Main Street, Huonville 7109
Office (03) 6264 8485
Mobile 0409 977 430
Fax (03) 6264 3467
Hon Terry Martin
terry.martin@parliament.tas.gov.au
Elwick Ind.
353A Main Road, Glenorchy 7010
Parliament House, Hobart 7000
Office (03) 6233 2617
Mobile 0409 188 563
Fax (03) 6272 8796
Office (03) 6233 2348
Hon Doug Parkinson
doug.parkinson@parliament.tas.gov.au
www.dougparkinson.net
Hobart ALP
Parliament House, Hobart 7000
Office (03) 6233 3069
Mobile 0418 129 773
Fax (03) 6223 6131
Hon Tania Rattray-Wagner
tania.rattraywagner@parliament.tas.gov.au
Apsley Ind.
16 King Street, Scottsdale 7260
Parliament House, Hobart 7000
Office (03) 6352 6497
Mobile 0427 523 412
Fax (03) 6352 3639
Office (03) 6233 2350
Hon Sue Smith
sue.smith@parliament.tas.gov.au
Montgomery Ind. 36 King Edward Street, Ulverstone 7315
PO Box 179, Ulverstone 7315
Parliament House, Hobart 7000
Office (03) 6429 8784
Mobile 0418 128 400
Fax (03) 6425 7519
Office (03) 6233 2322
Ms Lin Thorpe
lin.thorp@parliament.tas.gov.au
www.linthorp.com
Rumney ALP
Parliament House, Hobart 7000
Office (03) 6233 8309
Fax (03) 6233 5917
Office (03) 6265 6644
Fax (03) 6265 6600
Hon Jim Wilkinson
jim.wilkinson@parliament.tas.gov.au
Nelson Ind.
Parliament House, Hobart 7000
Office (03) 6233 2980
Mobile 0419 349 251
Fax (03) 6231 1849
Hon Don Wing
don.wing@parliament.tas.gov.au
Launceston Ind.
One Civic Square, Launceston 7250
Parliament House, Hobart 7000
Office (03) 6336 2556
Mobile 0418 134 599
Fax (03) 6331 1606
Office (03) 6233 2353