Same-sex couples and single people will be allowed to adopt children under proposed amendments to Queensland’s adoption laws.

Communities Minister Shannon Fentiman said there would be sweeping changes to the Adoption Act 2009 after a review this year found overwhelming support for the removal of discrimination.

The proposed changes, to be put to Parliament in August, allow groups of people currently banned from adopting to be eligible.

Ms Fentiman sliced a rainbow cake to mark the occasion. Photo: ABC

It includes same-sex couples, single people and couples undergoing fertility treatment such as IVF.

“It is time Queensland joined other Australian states and territories to remove this archaic chapter from our adoption laws,” she said.

“I am proud to say we will widen the eligibility criteria to allow those groups to adopt.”

Julie Carrington and Lea Sanson have been wanting to adopt their foster daughter for years.

“It is a very emotional time for us,” Ms Carrington said.

“It has been six years in waiting. We finally get to be her mummies.”

The proposed reforms will also remove the offence and penalty for a breach of contact statement for adoptions prior to June 1991.

Family lawyer Stephen Page said good parenting was not based on sexuality.

“You don’t have to be in family law for very long to realise that sexuality is not an important thing, it’s the quality of parenting,” he said.

ABC