Australia

Organ donation overhaul contentious

Jared Yee | 17 December 2011

A New South Wales government proposal to prevent families from overturning their deceased relatives’ wishes on organ donation has garnered mixed reactions.

Wrong twin aborted in Australian mix-up

Michael Cook | 25 November 2011

Australia has been rocked this week by a “selective reduction” gone wrong at a leading Melbourne hospital. A woman was pregnant with twins whom she had already named. At 32 weeks doctors detected significant heart abnormalities in one of the twins and advised her to abort the child. He would have had to have years of operations if he survived at all.

Are older mums selfish?

Michael Cook | 22 October 2011

An Australian obstetrician was heaped with scorn and ridicule earlier this month when he declared that women who deferred having children until their mid-30s were ''selfish and self-centred''. Barry Walters, of King Edward Memorial Hospital in Perth, said that they tended to have more medical problems and would be a burden on their children in their twilight years.

Nitschke makes headlines again

Jared Yee | 01 October 2011

Dr Philip Nitschke, founder of euthanasia group Exit International, made headlines yet again this week when he announced that he will import the suicide drug Nembutal to Australia.

Should sperm donors be anonymous?

Jared Yee | 08 September 2011

The rights of sperm donors to anonymity are being reviewed in Australia.

Sydney sperm donor removed from birth certificate

Michael Cook | 20 August 2011

A Sydney sperm donor has been erased from his 10-year-old daughter’s birth certificate and replaced with the lesbian partner of the biological mother.

Australian minister’s IVF child provokes IVF debate

jared Yee | 20 August 2011

IVF is in the headlines in Australia again after Federal Finance Minister Penny Wong announced last week that she and her lesbian partner Sophie Allouache are to have a baby.

Donor could be erased from Sydney birth certificate

Michael Cook | 06 August 2011

Imagine this. You are the biological father of nine-year-old daughter, although you are not living with the mother. You have helped to support the mother. You have contributed thousands of dollars to your daughter’s education and upkeep. You have been in contact with her every day of her life.

Sex offenders edge closer to IVF access

Jared Yee | 05 August 2011

Over 50 convicted sex offenders and child abusers may be allowed to have children using IVF after a Victorian Civil and Adminstrative Tribunal ruling last week.

First Australian organ trafficking case

Jared Yee | 29 July 2011

Police are investigating the first case of organ trafficking in Australia.

Australian stem cell regulations given OK

Michael Cook | 15 July 2011

Australian stem cell researchers can press on with destructive research on human embryos, says a government review committee.

Victorian Premier rejects euthanasia plea

Jared Yee | 07 July 2011

Victorian Premier Ted Baillieu has rejected a dying man’s request for voluntary euthanasia to be put back on the state’s agenda, saying that it should be dealt with on a national level.

Sex offender to contest IVF ban

Jared Yee | 01 July 2011

A convicted sex offender says he is being denied a basic human right because he has not been allowed to access IVF treatment.

A tragic call for euthanasia

21 January 2011

Sydney "hippies" and their disabled daughter

A chronically ill bioethicist tackles euthanasia

Michael Cook | 25 November 2010

Suicide pact dilemma

Jared Yee | 13 November 2010

Sisters hinder ambulance officers reviving their parents

Euthanasia billboards erected near Sydney

Jared Yee | 23 October 2010

Philip Nitschke’s group succeeds

Australian Greens press to legalise euthanasia

Jared Yee | 25 September 2010

Debate on the boil

Ad agencies compete for best compulsory euthanasia advert

Michael Cook | 04 August 2010

The Gruen Transfer does a daring experiment.

Australia’s “Dr Death” found guilty

Jared Yee | 03 July 2010

A “bad surgeon motivated by ego and suffering from lack of insight”