The NSW Opposition’s decision to allow its members to vote individually rather than as a party on changes to parenting legislation will not affect its passage through Parliament.

Last week, NSW Shadow Attorney-General Greg Smith said some Coalition MPs were concerned about a new Bill that recognises co-mothers as legal parents of children born through donor insemination. If passed, the regulations will allow the child’s birth certificate to be amended.

Smith said there were concerns over the removal of the term ‘father’, so the Coalition voted to give members a conscience vote on the issue.

NSW Minister for Women, Verity Firth, branded the move, “disappointing”.

“It’s disappointing that [leader of the NSW Liberal Party] Barry O’Farrell couldn’t make his party take a principled stand to end discrimination against same sex-parent families. Instead, he has again caved to the powerful Hard Right of the Liberal Party, who cannot accept any form of love that doesn’t accord with their own narrow and divisive views.”

The Australian Family Association is campaigning against the law reforms, but the Liberals’ conscience vote will not prevent the Bill’s passage through both chambers of Parliament. Labor and the Greens together hold 23 of 42 seats and will vote en bloc for the Bill.

Felicity Marlowe, spokesperson for Victoria’s Rainbow Families Council, said she was ‘happy the NSW government is recognising our community’s families, but added: “Our families aren’t a matter of conscience, they area matter of reality; and the laws need to catch up with our families and our families’ lives.”

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