Hugh Jackman and his wife Deborra-Lee Furness are launching an appeal for more Australian children to be adopted locally.
The pair – who are adoptive parents to Oscar, 17 and Ava, 12 – spoke to the Courier Mail this week about how Australia is lagging behind other first world nations when it comes to adoption.
‘If any Australian saw a two-year-old sitting by themselves on a street on the corner, would they just keep walking by? No,’ said Deborra, who is an Adopt change ambassador.
‘These kids need us grown ups to advocate for them and I don’t need every Australian to adopt a child, I need them to be aware that they need a permanent family or need support services.
She continued: ‘We had a Prime Minister before in Tony Abbott who championed this … I think Malcolm (Turnbull) has got to pick (the ball) up I think Malcolm has got to champion this – “He needs to come on board.’
Only 196 Australian children were adopted locally last year, while nearly 40,000 more require a permanent home, according to the Courier Mail.
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