CGS-authored
Transcript:
Damien Carrick: Recently, the Family Court handed down its determination in the Ellison case. It’s the first time the court has made a detailed consideration of a transnational commercial surrogacy arrangement. Mr Ellison and his partner Ms Solano were unable to have children, so they commissioned twins. At a Thai reproductive clinic, Mr Ellison’s sperm and that of an anonymous egg donor were implanted into the womb of a surrogate mother. The twins were born and entered Australia. At that point Mr Ellison approached the Family Court to get an order regarding the care and responsibility of the two children, and another order as to their parentage. Now, the judge made it clear that she was unimpressed by the lack of clear evidence concerning the conception of the twins. You see, Mr Ellison and Ms Solano weren’t very forthcoming, because engaging in transnational commercial surrogacy is an offence under Queensland law. In the end, with the help of a lawyer hired to represent the interests of the children, the judge declared Mr Ellison to be a parent, and made...
Damien Carrick: Recently, the Family Court handed down its determination in the Ellison case. It’s the first time the court has made a detailed consideration of a transnational commercial surrogacy arrangement. Mr Ellison and his partner Ms Solano were unable to have children, so they commissioned twins. At a Thai reproductive clinic, Mr Ellison’s sperm and that of an anonymous egg donor were implanted into the womb of a surrogate mother. The twins were born and entered Australia. At that point Mr Ellison approached the Family Court to get an order regarding the care and responsibility of the two children, and another order as to their parentage. Now, the judge made it clear that she was unimpressed by the lack of clear evidence concerning the conception of the twins. You see, Mr Ellison and Ms Solano weren’t very forthcoming, because engaging in transnational commercial surrogacy is an offence under Queensland law. In the end, with the help of a lawyer hired to represent the interests of the children, the judge declared Mr Ellison to be a parent, and made...