Intercountry Adoption Harmonisation Working Group

Clause 20 of the Commonwealth–State Agreement for the Continued Operation of Australia’s Intercountry Adoption Program provides for the establishment of an inter‑governmental working group to progress the greater harmonisation of intercountry adoption legislation, fees and administrative procedures, to achieve best practice and not to achieve uniformity as an end in itself. Greater harmonisation was recommended by the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Family and Human Services in its Overseas Adoption in Australia Report.

A Working Group has been established for this purpose, consisting of representatives from the Australian Government Attorney-General’s Department and the relevant State and Territory authorities. The first meeting of the Group was held on 5 November 2008 in Canberra.

Terms of Reference

The Terms of Reference for the Group are to:

agree to outcomes that are focused on the best interests of the child
progress a program of work which will review harmonisation of intercountry adoption legislation, fees, administrative procedures, and service provision, to achieve best practice and not to achieve uniformity as an end in itself
progress a program of work which covers a review of legislation about the rights of parties to the adoption to publicly discuss their adopted family, and
report back to the Community and Disability Services Ministers’ Advisory Council about the outcomes of the group.