(1)  The court may make an order that an independent counsellor, specified in the order, is to provide to the court, within a period, and in a form, specified in the order, a report as to the counsellor's assessment of the matters, specified in the order, in relation to a surrogacy arrangement.

(2)  The matters, in relation to a surrogacy arrangement, that may be specified in an order under subsection (1) include, but are not limited to including, the following matters:

(a) the understanding, of the social and psychological implications of the making of a parentage order, of each relevant party to the surrogacy arrangement;

(b) each relevant party's understanding of the principle that openness and honesty about a child's birth parentage is in the best interests of the child;

(c) the care arrangements proposed by the intended parents in relation to the child;

(d) any arrangements proposed for the child to have contact with his or her birth parent or birth parents or a person, other than an intended parent, who has provided some of the child's genetic material;

(e) the capacity of the intended parent or intended parents to care for the child;

(f) whether any consent given by the birth parent or birth parents is informed consent that has been given freely and voluntarily;

(g) the wishes of the child, if the counsellor is of the opinion that the child is of sufficient maturity to express his or her wishes;

(h) any other matters the counsellor thinks fit.

(3)  The provisions of any law or rules of court relating to the adducing of opinion evidence apply in relation to a report provided in accordance with an order under subsection (1) , unless such a provision is inconsistent with the requirements of this section.

(4)  For the purposes of this section, an independent counsellor, in relation to a surrogacy arrangement, is an accredited counsellor who –

(a) is not the accredited counsellor who counselled any relevant party in relation to the surrogacy arrangement for the purposes of section 16(2)(f) ; or

(b) is not, and is not associated with, a medical practitioner who carried out a procedure that resulted in the conception or birth of the child to which the arrangement relates; or

(c) is not, and is not associated with, a medical practitioner or other person who has been providing health care, or other care, to the person to whom the counselling is to be provided.