Lesbian parents who conceive through IVF can now have both their names recorded on their baby’s birth certificates in South Australia.
The new birth certificates will record the name of the birth mother with the lesbian partner listed as a co-parent.
In a move by South Australia, the Family Relationships (Percentage) Amendment Act 2011 was proclaimed after being passed in June, allowing the non-biological partner to be named as a “co-parent” on a birth certificate. According to the news.com.au, the first to couple to apply to have both their names appear on their child’s birth certificate was Let’s Get Equal spokeswoman Terri Mitchell-Smith and her partner Jo Mitchell-Smith (pictured).
They have a four-year-old daughter together. Mitchell-Smith said, “Jo, my partner, is as much a parent to my children as any other parent is to their child,” she said.
Ian Hunter, Communities and Social Inclusion Minister, said the next step would be to allow same-sex female couples to legally access IVF in SA.
Hunter said he will marry his gay partner next year and that the passage of the Family Relationships Amendment Act is a “powerful” message to send to the community.”(It’s) incredibly important, because it says our families are valued like everyone else’s families.”