Qld govt probe illegal Indian adoption

Qld govt probe illegal Indian adoption

October 15, 2008 - 9:43AM
Advertisement
The Queensland opposition wants the state's misconduct watchdog to examine the government's investigation into an Indian adoption agency suspected of child trafficking.
The federal government is conducting an audit of Indian adoption agencies that deal with Australia, after a Queensland couple learned their adopted nine-year-old daughter was allegedly kidnapped and sold to an agency in 2000.
They had adopted the girl through the agency, Malaysian Social Services, with the approval of Indian, Australian and state authorities.
The Queensland government audited adoptions from India during the period in question, and is also cooperating with an Indian investigation.
Child Safety Minister Margaret Keech this month said the previous Goss government had been warned about the agency in 1995, but why the warning was not followed up was a "mystery".
Opposition child safety spokeswoman Jann Stuckey Wednesday said weeks were going by with no word on the investigation, and she believed the government hoped it would be forgotten.
Ms Stuckey said she had asked the Crime and Misconduct Commission (CMC) to examine the government's handling of the case and whether there had been any interference with public documents.
"I was truly shocked to read that warnings about ... Malaysian Social Services had almost certainly not been acted upon," she said.
"Adding to my concerns was the less than adequate response from the minister who could only say that a lack of recorded data was a mystery.
"It's way more than a mystery. It is sounding more like a grim secret."
A lawyer representing the girl's birth parents has written to the Child Safety Department, seeking permission for a meeting to end their "emotional pain".