Public Opinion on Dna Paternity Testing: the Influence of the Media

By far the most contentious public policy issue in relation to DNA paternity testing is the status of those tests conducted without the knowledge or consent of the mother. Such tests are usually arranged by men, and involve comparison of samples from a man and his putative child. On this account they are often described as ‘motherless tests’, although not all motherless tests are done without the knowledge of the mother. The tests are currently legal in most jurisdictions, but they do not have standing in a court of law. In 2003 a representative national telephone survey found that there was substantial diversity and uncertainty among Australians regarding the tests; more Australians were ‘uncomfortable’ with the tests than were ‘comfortable’; and gender was not a significant variable shaping these responses. Since 2003 media coverage of DNA paternity testing has escalated dramatically. This coverage has overwhelmingly focussed upon ‘celebrity’ cases, or ‘paternity fraud’ cases where men prosecute their former wives or partners for claiming child support under false pretences. Given the extent of media coverage, there is good cause to suggest that public opinion might have shifted on the question of whether paternity testing without the knowledge of the mother is acceptable or not. This article reports on evidence that this is indeed the case. First, it provides background on the DNA Michael Gilding and Lyn Turney There has been a substantial shift of opinion among Australians in support of DNA paternity testing without the knowledge of the mother. The shift has been driven by the influence of the media, fanned by the fathers’ rights movement.