BEING asked to be a patron of a community group is part of a politician’s job, but for Swan MHR Steve Irons one request was close to his heart.
Mr Irons remembers all too well the disconnection from family he felt for many years being a ward of the state and fostered when three-and-a-half.
When asked to be the patron of the Donor Conception Support Group of Australia it took him one month to consider the implications and what pushed him to agree was that he understood the disconnection donor-children felt.
Mr Irons has thrown his support behind the group’s request for there to be a National Register of Donors and an inquiry into donor conception practices.
The group handed a petition to Federal Parliament late last month with 1200 signatures calling for the national register.
Members of the group made a presentation to parliament, including IVF parent Leonie |Hewitt who said her son had 29 half siblings they knew about because the donor had donated at two clinics in different states.
“A national register should be able to prevent this happening again,” Ms Hewitt told parliament.
A donor-conceived child told parliament that after having his own children he realised that his conception had lost him his kinship, heritage, identity and health history.
Mr Irons said according to a survey only 5 per cent of donors did not want their donor-conceived children to contact them.
Some donors were concerned the children would have financial claims on them, but under legislation they were not recognised as the legal father.
The national register would allow donor-children to access medical records and background history and to check if the donor was happy for contact.
“At the moment many donor-conceived individuals are unable to make contact with their biological families due to privacy laws,” Mr Irons said. “I believe every person has a right to know who their biological family is.
“As a foster child, I have spent years tracking my own family.”