Overseas adoption to be easier in Aust

Would-be parents trying to negotiate with international adoption agencies are about to benefit from an agency designed to make the process a bit easier.

Intercountry Adoption Australia, set up by Prime Minister Tony Abbott, will be launched on Sunday, according to Fairfax newspapers.

It will provide a central point of contact for information and assistance about adopting a child from another country, and will be staffed by trained and experienced social workers and counsellors.

The papers report Australian officials are in talks with a number of countries to help facilitate international adoptions.

"There are millions of children in overseas orphanages who would dearly love to have parents," Mr Abbott said.

"There are thousands of Australians who would dearly love to help those kids have a family."

The prime minister said the new agency will cut waiting times for inter-country adoptions, which currently average around five years.