She has an extensive academic background in reproductive health law
The Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC) has appointed associate professor Ronli Sifris as assistant commissioner for its ongoing review of surrogacy laws.
Sifris, a specialist in surrogacy law, is an associate professor at Monash University’s Faculty of Law and deputy director of the Castan Centre for Human Rights Law. She will work alongside ALRC president Justice Mordy Bromberg and the ALRC Inquiry team to lead and conduct the review.
She has an extensive academic background in reproductive health law. She holds an LLM from NYU School of Law as a Hauser Scholar and a PhD from Monash University. Her research focuses on issues at the intersection of reproductive health and the law, covering topics such as abortion, assisted reproduction, and surrogacy.
Sifris has contributed to various law reform initiatives, making submissions to multiple parliamentary and law reform commission inquiries. Her work was cited in the High Court of Australia’s ruling in Clubb v. Edwards, where her empirical research was referenced in the final judgment.
Bromberg welcomed her appointment, noting her expertise in surrogacy laws and her extensive research on the subject in both Australian and international contexts. He stated that he looks forward to working with her on the review.
The ALRC launched its review of surrogacy laws earlier this year and is expected to deliver its final report to the Attorney-General by 29 July 2026. The review aims to assess surrogacy laws, policies, and practices in Australia and identify legal and policy reforms. The focus will be on developing a consistent legal framework across state, territory, and Commonwealth jurisdictions while ensuring that proposed reforms align with Australia’s obligations under international law.
The review will examine ways to reduce barriers to domestic altruistic surrogacy arrangements, ensuring that surrogates are properly reimbursed for legal, medical, and other expenses. It will also assess how Australian law should regulate surrogacy arrangements made outside of the country, including the recognition of legal parentage for children born through overseas surrogacy. The inquiry will consider how best to protect the rights and best interests of children born through surrogacy, including their access to information about their biological and legal parentage. Additionally, it will explore how citizenship, visa, and passport requirements for children born through surrogacy overseas can be aligned with Australian law.
The ALRC will conduct public consultations as part of the inquiry and will engage with key stakeholders, including government agencies, legal professionals, medical experts, surrogates, intended parents, and individuals born through surrogacy. The final report is expected to provide recommendations on how Australia’s surrogacy laws can be reformed to better protect the rights of all parties involved while ensuring legal clarity and consistency across jurisdictions.
