CONSENT TO MEDICAL TREATMENT AND PALLIATIVE CARE (PARENTAL CONSENT) AMENDMENT BILL

Second Reading

Adjourned debate on second reading.

(Continued from 23 September 2009. Page 3297.)

The Hon. M. PARNELL (17:59): I rise to oppose this bill. All members of parliament would have received correspondence from the Youth Affairs Council of South Australia and from the Sexual Health Information Network, and those submissions set out in detail the great harm that would be done to young people by the passage of this bill. I will not detain the council at this late hour by going through those submissions in detail, but I want to thank those organisations for writing to me. I agree entirely with their assessment of this bill; it is bad for young people and does not deserve support.

The Hon. J.S.L. DAWKINS (18:00): I rise on behalf of Liberal members to indicate that we will be supporting the second reading of this bill. The premise of this bill, as described by the member, is simply to reinstate parental rights. He goes on to talk about the area of medical procedures, and this bill rearranges the priorities so that families are put first in non-emergency situations. According to the Hon. Mr Brokenshire, parental rights and the integrity of the family are restored by this bill. He also indicates that the bill is simple in its import and merely harmonises with what this parliament has said about other procedures on children. As I said, the Liberal Party will support the second reading; however, our joint party room is yet to determine a position on the ultimate passage of the bill, but we are happy to allow the bill to pass the second reading stage.

The Hon. A. BRESSINGTON (18:01): I rise to also indicate that I will be supporting the second reading of this bill based on my long-term efforts to have parents empowered to have the right to oversee their children and determine what is in their best interests as well as work with those kids. Just on the letters we received from YACSA, sometimes councils and committees and such do not actually hold family unity and parental rights as a God-given right and they somehow believe that they sometimes know better than parents. I think that is where we are falling down in this state and in this country: we have professionals who believe that they know better than parents and that the family unit comes last.

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (18:02): The government will not be supporting this bill. It is very bad legislation but, given the reasons advanced by the opposition in terms of supporting the second reading, and by other members, we will not be dividing on this measure. If the bill comes back another day, I will make my second reading speech then.

Bill read a second time.