Not just know for her celebrity spouse, Deborra-Lee Furness has many passions and lately she has also had many other reasons to smile. It wasn't always easy.

Deborra-Lee had numerous miscarriages and tried IVF many times

Deborra-Lee and her husband Hugh Jackman decided to adopt 12-years ago but they soon found the Australian system of adoption was a hopeless mish-mash of procedure and difficulty.

In Australia adoption can take as long as 6 years. (Using her US residency, it took Deborra-Lee and Hugh just 9 months to adopt a child.)

The cost is also beyond many people. In NSW alone, couples can spend about $40,000 on the process.

	A major event
	This year will see  the first National Adoption Awareness Week – Nov 17-23

Deborra-Lee began pushing for Australia's adoption process to be overhauled, saying, "I would like to feel pride, as an Australian, that we are standing up and contributing. At this stage, I don't think we're doing enough.''

In February this year, newly appointed Immigration Minister Senator Chris Evans sent a delegation to Asia in efforts to begin adoption programs in Vietnam and Cambodia.

"I'm thrilled. It shows signs the Government is taking this issue seriously,'' Furness said at the time.

The situation

• Adoption Laws in Australia have not been changed since 1964
• Australia is the second lowest country in the world in terms of the number of inter country adoptions
• Australians adopt children from: 28% China, 24% South Korea, 17% Ethiopia
• In 1971-72 there were 9798 adoptions, which declined to 1052 in 1991-92.

More info

Adoption Awareness Week

Adoption Law

Adoption and finding your family information - Sunrise

Related links

Hugh Jackman defends Michelle's right to avoid media - Sunrise

Adoption links

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ACT