A Canberra mother of eight whose brood includes six children adopted from overseas has been appointed by the Federal Government to a new National Peak Overseas Adoption Support Group.
Julia Rollings was announced as one of the 16-member body by Attorney-General Robert McClelland yesterday.
The group will advise the Government on the complex issues involved in intercountry adoption including streamlining a raft of different state and territory laws, requirements and support services.
Over the past 19 years, Mrs Rollings and her husband, Barry, have adopted Madhu, 21, Sadan, 16, Akil, 14, and Sabila, 13, from India, Joel, 19, from Taiwan, and Haden, 19, from Korea. They have two daughters Briony, 22, and Alix, 27. Some of the children have special needs.
Mrs Rollings traces the decision to her and Mr Rollings' understanding they could love children who weren't born to them.
"And after we had done it once, we'd seen so many children who needed families," she said.
Mrs Rollings has also been a driving force behind the Adoptive Families Association of the ACT a body which helps those who have adopted or who want to adopt. She was on the committee for 18 years and president for eight.
She said the national peak group was a positive step.
It fulfils a recommendation in the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Family and Human Services report, Overseas Adoption in Australia.
"There are many issues relating to overseas adoption in Australia," Mrs Rollings said.
"Not least the discrepancies between the states and territories and different levels of support depending on where you live."
She ranked the ACT as one of the better jurisdictions for facilitating overseas adoptions.
Mrs Rollings also acknowledged Australian families found the process harder than in other countries and that Australia had the second-lowest rate of intercountry adoptions among developed nations.
Just 405 intercountry adoptions took place in Australia last year 18 in Canberra.
Mr McClelland said the Government initiative would improve Australia's intercountry adoption system and the Commonwealth would work closely with the states and territories to harmonise fees and procedures across the country.
Terms of reference for the peak body include: providing advice on intercountry adoption matters referred by the Attorney-General; providing advice to the Attorney-General on issues of relevance to the intercountry adoption community, in consultation with the intercountry adoption community; and informing the intercountry adoption community of the issues being considered by the group.
Mrs Rollings said her primary concern had always been to safeguard the interest of the child.
"I am convinced that children are far better off in loving families in another country particularly those well prepared and those who understand the importance of maintaining the child's connection with their home country rather than living in institutional care," she said.