Assisted Reproductive Treatment Act Review

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS (Minister for Health, Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse) (14:20): I seek leave to make a ministerial statement.

Leave granted.

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS: Today, I will table the government's response to the review of the Assisted Reproductive Treatment Act 1988 undertaken by Dr Sonia Allan, an expert in assisted reproductive treatment who has an international reputation in this field. Dr Allan consulted extensively with clinics and groups associated with assisted reproductive technology over an extended period and her review and recommendations, which were provided to the government earlier this year, provided extensive recommendations to help improve outcomes for people accessing ART treatments and the children born as a result.

I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge Dr Allan in the gallery today, as well as members of the donor conceived community who have joined us today. The key recommendations of the review were for the establishment of a donor conception register to increase the role of government in the regulation of the industry. The basis of Dr Allan's recommendation about a donor conception register is that donor conceived people should be able to access identifying information about their donors without the donor's consent to ensure that those people have the same right to information about their genetic parentage as those who are conceived naturally.

To do this would require legislative change. It will require legislative change which we, as we reach the end of the parliamentary term, clearly have run out of time to appropriately draft and adequately consult on. However, today I committed this government to progress legislation in the next parliament and while I acknowledge there may be pockets of unease in the community, I am sure they will be considered in a respectful manner, with the best interests of children born as a result of donor conception as one of the new parliament's main priorities. I anticipate that that would receive a cross-section of support across the new parliament.

In the meantime, SA Health will continue to work through the mammoth task of sorting through our historical ART records so that when we are ready to press go on a donor conception register, all of the documentation that can be made available will be made available. The government's response to the review is largely supportive of the other recommendations; however, in-principle support is provided to some, subject to further investigation and how we properly resource the required changes. For the recommendations that do not require legislative change, I have asked my department to undertake further work to consider ways to implement those recommendations in a way that best reflects Dr Allan's intentions.

I would again like to place on the record my thanks to Dr Allan and everyone here today who has been part of the ART review process. I would also like to acknowledge the contributions and advocacy of the member for Light and the member for Fisher in the other place. Their work is worthy of commendation and recognition on this incredibly important reform that this state desperately needs.