Why I Can't Support the Assisted Reproductive Technology & Surrogacy Bill 2025

In addition, I’ve been advocating, along with my colleagues, for simple, sensible safeguards: background checks, lifting the minimum age for surrogates above 25 (not 18 as the Government is insisting), and keeping the requirement that a woman has previously given birth.

These reflect community expectations and basic common sense.

The staggering refusal of the government to require those seeking children from surrogacy to have reasonable background checks, despite several high profile abuse cases related to surrogacy in the recent past and the very stringent checks on adoptees, simply doesn't pass the pub test.

Despite moving several amendments to ensure that children born of ART and surrogate mothers are given paramount protection (as the Bill claims to uphold) the Government has not supported them above the desires of intended parents. In its current form I am not satisfied that adequate protections are in place and do not intend to vote for it. I commit to continuing to press these issues as the Bill progresses.

Updates from the Pilbara

Earlier this month I travelled to both Newman and Karratha to attend the Stars of the East Pilbara awards, Remembrance Day with Karratha RSL, and to meet with fantastic leaders from local government, Regional Development Australia - Pilbara, and the Karratha and Districts Chamber of Commerce and Industry.  

Newman is under real pressure, with hundreds of people looking to move into town and ageing infrastructure struggling to keep up.

The Shire outlined major concerns, beginning with outdated wastewater facilities that require around $65 million in upgrades - a responsibility Water Corporation has declined to take on - leaving the Shire to fund the work itself. Added to this are tens of millions of dollars in road repairs and upgrades following recent weather events, with the community still waiting for meaningful action from the State Government. A shortage of industrial land is also constraining local business growth.

Together these issues are placing enormous strain on already limited local resources. 

On a positive note, there is promising work underway, including a much needed new Youth and Community Hub and a Youth Advisory Group made up of local 12-17 year olds.

In Karratha, discussions centred on regional travel, housing shortages exacerbated by the Government Regional Officers Housing (GROH) scheme, insurance premiums that remain far too high, and ongoing pressure on health services with limited specialist access.

Uncertainty around the State Government’s Regional Airfare Scheme is making it impossible for Pilbara locals to plan beyond June next year due to there being no way of anticipating airfares going into the future. With many services that are taken for granted in the metropolitan area, simply not available in the Pilbara, affordable travel is not a ”nice-to-have” but a clear necessity.

With five and a half thousand signatures on a petition calling on the State Government to reinstate capped airfares, this is an issue that is not going to go away soon. 

Sign the Petition

Local organisations are doing impressive work to advocate for the region, and the planned Pilbara development index, supported by Professor Fiona Stanley, has real potential to give the Pilbara a stronger voice in State decision-making.

I’ll keep raising these matters in Parliament and following them closely in the new year.

Warmest regards,

Hon Phil Twiss
Member of the Legislative Council

philtwiss.com.au