Call for NZ to follow Australia's lead on adoption - 21 March 2013

Call for NZ to follow Australia's lead on adoption

By: Jacob Brown | New Zealand News | Thursday March 21 2013 5:03

A woman who lost her son to adoption 40 years ago believes New Zealand needs to follow Australia's lead and push for adoption law reform, and an apology.

Julia Gillard will give a national apology today for those affected by forced adoption or removal policies and practices.
Merilyn McAuslin lost her son to adoption in 1973 after withdrawal of family and financial support ... and says she and other mothers at the time were coerced into giving their babies up for adoption.
She says Australia's lead on adoption law reform, and the national apology being given today, sets an example.
"Good for them and my first thought was Australia is so far ahead of us in that area because they've had an apology, they've been working on adoption and changing the law for ages."
There's a push for reform of New Zealand's adoption laws.
Ms McAuslin lost her son to adoption in 1973 after withdrawal of family and financial support.
She says she and other mothers at the time were coerced into giving their babies up for adoption.
She estimates more than 100,000 New Zealand women would have been affected in the so called 'baby scoop era'.
Ms McAuslin says she's starting a website to garner support.
"The law should have changed a long time ago and there should be an inquiry because women need to be able to talk about it because there's so many women in New Zealand living in traumatized secrecy."

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