IVF is a medical treatment developed to allow women who cannot conceive a child naturally to conceive through artificial insemination. The IVF treatment is often filled with years of disappointment and stress and has no guaranteed results.

Australians have had to confront this issue which has raised a complex debate about human rights versus the rights of children. Many social, religious and political divisions have resulted.

Mr. Howard said the government had to set a benchmark that would benefit children. "We are not out to punish people for a lifestyle choice, but we are saying that it is reasonable for the community to have a benchmark," he said. "This issue involves, overwhelmingly, the right of children in our society to have the reasonable expectation... of the affection and care of both a mother and a father."

Mr. Howard's announcement followed a Federal Court decision in Melbourne, which found that the state of Victoria's IVF laws were discriminatory because they prevent single women from access to the program.

The modern family takes many forms. Homosexual couples are increasingly wanting the right to have children. Some single women also want to raise children on their own, without a partner. Of course, same-sex couples and single women cannot conceive naturally, therefore they want access to the IVF program. But this means taxpayers have to pay for these minority groups to access what is free with normal conception.

Medicare is the Australian health fund which provides some medical services free of charge for the Australian public. It is funded by the government, using tax payers' money. Medicare covers IVF treatment so it is available to all women, regardless of their financial status. Taxpayers are questioning whether the Medicare rebate should be extended to cover social infertility, as well as medical infertility.

IVF Directors Group of Australia head David Molloy estimated single women and lesbians only account for around 1 percent of the 14,000 IVF treatments carried out in Australia each year. This puts the emotive issue into greater perspective as it will only affect a small number of people.

Speaking about how the traditional family unit is changing, one of my friends, Paul, said: "The idea of IVF is now being used to create hybrid families, but it was never meant to be. We're altering nature more than we should be."

My grandfather, Bruce Jeffreys, stated: "My father died when I was 3 years old. Unexpected events sometimes mean children lose one or both of their parents at an early age, but at least they start with a fairer chance of having a mother and a father."

A National Party legislator in the state of Queensland, De-Anne Kelly, spoke out when she said she believes that the family is the cornerstone of Australian society and that single women and lesbians have no right to bear children.

Mrs. Kelly stated: "There is a wealth of research available which shows that a child who is brought up in a traditional family with mom and dad is happier, healthier and more well-adjusted to deal with life as they grow up."

However, there is also research to say children who are raised by one parent are not disadvantaged and are just as competent and have as much self-esteem as children raised by two parents. This research also suggests single fathers just as capable of raising children as single mothers. Many people believe the quality of parenting is what is important. People are asking, what are the criteria for having a child? Isn't it enough for the child to be loved by committed parents?

Many Australians responded with hostility to the Prime Minister's stand on this issue. My friend Kellie said: "I think if a lesbian couple or single woman is financially secure they should have the right to IVF. Why shouldn't they have the right to be happy, too?"

Members of the Australian Medical Association (AMA) criticied Mr. Howard's decision because they are concerned it is safer for single women and lesbians to conceive through the IVF program as it eliminates the risks of natural conception.

AMA vice president Trevor Mudge said: "We're concerned about the safety of women without partners ... it's far safer for them to get sperm medically than it is socially."

This issue raises the question - what do new scientific developments mean for modern society and where should we draw the line?

Shukan ST: Sept. 8, 2000

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