Australian Government: Attorney-General's Department
Australian Government: Attorney-General's DepartmentAchieving a Just and Secure Society

National Intercountry Adoption Advisory Group

On 30 March 2008, the Attorney-General, the Hon Robert McClelland MP, announced the appointees to the National Peak Overseas Adoption Support Group. In February 2009 the group’s formal name was changed to the National Intercountry Adoption Advisory Group (NICAAG). This is intended to better reflect the group’s role – to provide advice to Government on intercountry adoption issues rather than to provide support services to the intercountry adoption community. The Group’s role and terms of reference remain unchanged.

The National Intercountry Adoption Advisory Group provides a national voice to Government and works to ensure that the intercountry adoption community in Australia is well represented.

The establishment of an Advisory group was a key recommendation of the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Family and Human Services’ 2005 Report, Overseas Adoption in Australia. The structure and nominations for the Advisory Group followed extensive consultation with the adoption community in 2007.

Terms of Reference

The Terms of Reference for the Group are to:

  • provide advice on intercountry adoption matters referred by the Attorney-General or the Attorney-General’s Department
  • provide advice to the Attorney-General or the Attorney-General’s Department on issues of relevance to the intercountry adoption community as identified by the Group, in consultation with the intercountry adoption community, and
  • inform the intercountry adoption community of the issues being considered by the Group, where appropriate.

Membership

National Intercountry Adoption Advisory Group

The membership of the Group is as follows:

Representatives for New South Wales:

  • Dr Gary Banks
  • Mrs Ricky Brisson

Representatives for Victoria:

  • Ms Aileen Berry
  • Mrs Marilyn Nagesh

Representatives for Queensland:

  • Mr Stephen Finkel
  • Ms Maree Waterson

Representatives for Western Australia:

  • Mrs Sonya Mahoney
  • Vacant pending replacement

Representatives for South Australia:

  • Ms Helen Edwards
  • Ms Sandi Peterson

Representative for Tasmania:

  • Mr John Ford (Alternate Member – Ms Gaylene Cooper)

Representative for the Australian Capital Territory:

  • Ms Julia Rollings (Alternate Member – Ms Lisa Wilson)

Representative for the Northern Territory:

  • Ms Julie Rankin (Alternate Member – Ms Angela Kelly)

Other Representatives including:

  • Ms Lynelle Beveridge – adoptee community representative
    (Alternate Member – Ms Saran Chamberlain)
  • Dr Lucy Burns – professional community representative
    (Alternate Member –Ms Jennifer Newbould)
  • Ms Evelyn Robinson - author and post-adoption counsellor.  Ms Robinson placed her child for adoption in 1970 and was reunited with him in 1991.

The alternate members will replace their respective full member at meetings, where the full member is unable to attend. Alternate members are not appointed for States with two representatives.

Contacting the National Intercountry Adoption Advisory Group

General enquiries for the Advisory Group can be directed to the Attorney-General’s Department Secretariat at the following email address:
peaksupportgroup@ag.gov.au

Meeting Communiqués

Next Meetings

  • 4 - 5 March 2010 (Melbourne)
  • 10 - 11 June 2010 (Canberra)
  • 2 - 3 December 2010 (Canberra) (to be confirmed)