Latest news with #MsHughes
Perth Now
3 days ago
- Health
- Perth Now
Parents spending thousands to choose baby's sex
Stacey Hughes always knew she wanted to have a little girl, but her pathway to getting there was a little different. Already a mum to three boys, in 2019 she travelled with her family to undergo IVF in the United States, where the team implanted a female embryo. Ms Hughes is one of hundreds of Australian parents who choose to travel overseas for sex selection, a practice that is not permitted in Australia other than for medical reasons. "I didn't want a fourth child, I wanted a girl," Ms Hughes told AAP. "My mum passed away in 2009 so I didn't have that mother-daughter relationship anymore and I just also wanted to have a girl in our family." Experts say Ms Hughes is not alone, with parents wanting to select a boy or a girl for family balancing reasons. Australia previously allowed sex selection for non-medical reasons, however in the early 2000s the guidelines changed, Connect IVF scientific director Lauren Hiser said. As a result, people are choosing to travel to nations that allow it, including parts of Southeast Asia, Europe and the US. "The concern in allowing Australians to go offshore is that we can't control the quality of service they are going to get overseas," Ms Hiser said. "The Australian IVF industry is highly regulated and allowing sex selection would make it safer for people to access." Ms Hiser stressed the process was not akin to "playing God" as the embryos were made during a regular IVF process and tested for a range of genetic abnormalities which also determined their sex. The number of people wanting to select a particular sex was in the hundreds, so allowing it in Australia would not expand boy or girl ratios in a particular direction, she added. "The reality is that sex selection is happening in Australia already, just not in the IVF industry," she said. "We have non-invasive pre-natal testing at around 10 weeks, so some people are getting pregnant, determining the sex and then choosing to continue with that pregnancy or not. "Then there's the risk of people going through a termination of pregnancy with all the physical and emotional impacts that come with that." Gender Selection Australia (GSA) is a service that helps families navigate overseas IVF processes. The sex selection process often came with a lot of misinformation, GSA general manager Nikki Mason said. "The majority of people want to balance out their family, it's not about preferring one sex over another," she said. "Sex selection is not manufacturing a result, it's just revealing what (embryos) families have after a normal IVF process and then they can choose which to implant." The IVF process is already stressful and the additional overseas travel costs make it unattainable for many. It cost Ms Hughes and her family about $30,000, including medications, accommodation, flights and medical appointments. While family and friends supported her decision, she faced trolling online after she previously spoke to the media about her experience. "I don't understand (the trolling) because it doesn't really affect anyone that I've had a baby girl," she said. "I think there's a lack of understanding of the process and people thinking that you are intervening."
West Australian
3 days ago
- Health
- West Australian
Parents spending thousands to choose baby's sex
Stacey Hughes always knew she wanted to have a little girl, but her pathway to getting there was a little different. Already a mum to three boys, in 2019 she travelled with her family to undergo IVF in the United States, where the team implanted a female embryo. Ms Hughes is one of hundreds of Australian parents who choose to travel overseas for sex selection, a practice that is not permitted in Australia other than for medical reasons. "I didn't want a fourth child, I wanted a girl," Ms Hughes told AAP. "My mum passed away in 2009 so I didn't have that mother-daughter relationship anymore and I just also wanted to have a girl in our family." Experts say Ms Hughes is not alone, with parents wanting to select a boy or a girl for family balancing reasons. Australia previously allowed sex selection for non-medical reasons, however in the early 2000s the guidelines changed, Connect IVF scientific director Lauren Hiser said. As a result, people are choosing to travel to nations that allow it, including parts of Southeast Asia, Europe and the US. "The concern in allowing Australians to go offshore is that we can't control the quality of service they are going to get overseas," Ms Hiser said. "The Australian IVF industry is highly regulated and allowing sex selection would make it safer for people to access." Ms Hiser stressed the process was not akin to "playing God" as the embryos were made during a regular IVF process and tested for a range of genetic abnormalities which also determined their sex. The number of people wanting to select a particular sex was in the hundreds, so allowing it in Australia would not expand boy or girl ratios in a particular direction, she added. "The reality is that sex selection is happening in Australia already, just not in the IVF industry," she said. "We have non-invasive pre-natal testing at around 10 weeks, so some people are getting pregnant, determining the sex and then choosing to continue with that pregnancy or not. "Then there's the risk of people going through a termination of pregnancy with all the physical and emotional impacts that come with that." Gender Selection Australia (GSA) is a service that helps families navigate overseas IVF processes. The sex selection process often came with a lot of misinformation, GSA general manager Nikki Mason said. "The majority of people want to balance out their family, it's not about preferring one sex over another," she said. "Sex selection is not manufacturing a result, it's just revealing what (embryos) families have after a normal IVF process and then they can choose which to implant." The IVF process is already stressful and the additional overseas travel costs make it unattainable for many. It cost Ms Hughes and her family about $30,000, including medications, accommodation, flights and medical appointments. While family and friends supported her decision, she faced trolling online after she previously spoke to the media about her experience. "I don't understand (the trolling) because it doesn't really affect anyone that I've had a baby girl," she said. "I think there's a lack of understanding of the process and people thinking that you are intervening."
Sky News AU
12-05-2025
- Business
- Sky News AU
Senator slams Angus Taylor over 'breathtaking' failure as shadow treasurer ahead of Liberal leadership contest
Liberal Senator Hollie Hughes has issued a brutal assessment of Angus Taylor ahead of Tuesday's Liberal leadership vote, accusing him of a 'breathtaking' failure campaign against the Albanese government's 'inheritance tax' by stealth. Shadow treasurer Angus Taylor is set to face off against deputy leader Sussan Ley when the depleted Liberal partyroom meets on Tuesday. Speaking to Sky News Australia on Monday, Senator Hollie Hughes firmly endorsed Ms Ley for the position, before unleashing on Mr Taylor's record in the previous term of government and stating it "beggars belief" he thought he deserved to be leader. 'Angus Taylor shouldn't be leader. He was shadow treasurer, yet we had zero economic narrative,' Ms Hughes said. "I mean, this is the guy who tried to take the Liberal Party to the election opposing tax cuts. I mean, seriously.' Ms Hughes particularly highlighted the Coalition's failure to run a campaign against the Albanese government's tax on unrealised capital gains in superannuation funds worth more than $3 million as a major failure. 'The fact that he wasn't able to prosecute a case on unrealised gains is breathtaking… this is an inheritance tax that's coming down the barrel at a rate of knots.' 'People talk about the bank of mum and dad; the Bank of mum and dad might be severely depleted for the next generation, because they didn't understand what the Labor government wants to do when their parents want to pass on the house.' Ms Hughes said she would be 'heavily endorsing' Susan Ley for the role of leader, before taking more veiled swipes at Mr Taylor. 'I think not only has she got an enormous amount of life experience that she can bring into the role that will help her expand our base, not just try and appeal to a very narrow sliver of the base,' she said. 'This is a woman with a Master's of tax law, a Master's of accounting, as well as a degree in economics. Ms Hughes is set to depart federal politics at the end of June after she was relegated to an unwinnable spot on the Coalition's NSW Senate ticket in favour of her Senate colleague Andrew Bragg and Lowy Institute research fellow Jessica Collins – who is aligned to the party's conservative faction and was endorsed by Mr Taylor. Ms Hughes said that she was 'knifed at the hands of … Angus Taylor', but she had remained loyal to the Liberal Party because she wanted what was best for the country. 'I have firmly said that I believe Angus Taylor had a very big hand in that, and I said it a year ago,' Ms Hughes said. 'But I, for a year ... have absolutely done everything I could to support the Liberal Party, because I do believe we are a party of government and a party that will be better for the Australian people.' In contrast, Ms Hughes said the shadow treasurer was only interested in his "own ambition". Ms Hughes then attacked Mr Taylor's decision to run on a ticket with Jacinta Price, stating that while she had 'all the respect of the world for Jacinta,' the Northern Territory senator, had only just joined the Liberal partyroom. 'To me, it feels like turning up to an RSL Club with a membership form and then saying, 'by the way, I'm going to run to the board and I want to be president'. You know, it just wouldn't work that way,' Ms Hughes said. 'I think Angus Taylor has insulted not only every liberal woman, but every Liberal Party member in the parliamentary team by saying 'look, none of you are quite up to the job, I've had to go and recruit someone else'. 'I find it completely offensive. There's plenty of talent in Liberal team.' The outgoing Senator also poured cold water on talk of Tim Wilson running for the leadership, suggesting he should start by running for Deputy Leader. 'I think Tim's great. I've known Tim long before either of us were in Parliament … Tim is not someone without talent,' she said. 'I'm just not quite sure turning back up after three years out of the parliamentary room is the right thing to come in and say, 'hey, hand over the leadership'.' Ms Hughes said the Goldstein MP, who has said he will wait until after the national Party vote on Monday to declare whether he will contest the Liberal leadership, 'might be a little bit late to the party'. 'If people are hitting the phones today, they've probably missed the boat just a little bit,' she said.
Irish Independent
10-05-2025
- Irish Independent
Man who assaulted partner after he accused her of flirting with another man has jail sentenced suspended on appeal
Aaron Lee Kinsella Kelly (23), with an address at Chapel Farm Road, Lusk, Co Dublin, pleaded guilty in the District Court to assault under section 3 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act, 1997, where he was sentenced to one month in custody. Garda Brendan Maguire told the District Court Appeals Court on Thursday that he was called to an alleged assault at the Clayton Hotel, Dublin Airport, on the morning of February 5, 2024. He said he observed the injured party had a swollen and bruised face. He said that she told him she had been punched in the face by her then partner, who had accused her of flirting with another man. Garda Maguire said that Kelly was arrested for assault and made no reply when he was later charged by gardai. Defence counsel for Kelly, Amy Hughes BL, told the court that the attack happened during an argument with the injured party in a vehicle on the way home from an event. She said that the assault was a very serious matter, for which Kelly is 'extremely remorseful'. Ms Hughes said that Kelly pleaded guilty in the District Court and was appealing the case on the grounds of severity of sentence only. She said that the incident happened during a 'volatile relationship' while the appellant was living a 'party lifestyle'. Ms Hughes told the judge that Kelly was going through emotional issues at the time and that he had depression and anxiety. Judge Catherine White said she was 'really surprised' that the assault was dealt with 'so leniently' in the District Court. She said that the case was an 'extremely, extremely bad assault' and remarked on the 'very impressive' victim impact statement. However, she decided to increase the sentence from one month to six months imprisonment, but fully suspended it for 12 months. She added: 'I do so reluctantly'. She also directed that Kelly pay €500 to his nearest women's refuge and that he was not to "go anywhere near" the road where the victim resides.
Irish Daily Mirror
09-05-2025
- Irish Daily Mirror
Jail sentence for man's 'extremely bad' assault on ex partner suspended
A man who punched his then-partner in the face after accusing her of flirting with another man, in what a judge described as an 'extremely bad assault', has had his jail sentence replaced with a suspended term on Lee Kinsella Kelly (23) with an address at Chapel Farm Road, Lusk, Co Dublin pleaded guilty in the District Court to assault under section 3 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act, 1997, where he was sentenced to one month in Brendan Maguire told the District Court Appeals Court on Thursday that he was called to an alleged assault at the Clayton Hotel, Dublin Airport on the morning of February 5, said he observed the injured party had a swollen and bruised face. He said that she told him she had been punched in the face by her then partner, who had accused her of flirting with another Maguire said that Kelly was arrested for assault and made no reply when he was later charged by counsel for Kelly, Amy Hughes BL, told the court that the attack happened during an argument with the injured party in a vehicle on the way home from an said that the assault was a very serious matter, for which Kelly is 'extremely remorseful'. Ms Hughes said that Kelly pleaded guilty in the District Court and was appealing the case on the grounds of severity of sentence said that the incident happened during a 'volatile relationship' while the appellant was living a 'party lifestyle'.Ms Hughes told the judge that Kelly was going through emotional issues at the time and that he had depression and Catherine White said she was 'really surprised' that the assault was dealt with 'so leniently' in the District said that the case was an 'extremely, extremely bad assault' and remarked on the 'very impressive' victim impact she decided to increase the sentence from one month to six months imprisonment, but fully suspended it for 12 months. She added: 'I do so reluctantly'.She also directed that Kelly pay €500 to his nearest women's refuge and that he was not to "go anywhere near" the road where the victim resides.
