DNA Testing in Australia - Seeking to follow France?

I remember travelling around Europe in my summer holidays off from University meeting a French man who was very much against what the USA was doing in Iraq.  I didn't really have much of an opinion about the war (because it was a very one-sided conversation), but what one thing he said has stuck with me in the decade that has followed: "the US is too young as a Republic to be acting like the authority on freedom".

I wasn't sure if he was implying that France knew better, that France could have done better or that the US should just go away and look after themselves, but I still took it on board.

Fast forward 10 years and I came across a bit of information that I thought can't be true, but it is: France has outlawed paternal DNA testing, which it did some time ago.

Now, given that in France if a man were curious to see if his child is biologically his and decided to get a DNA test done, he would face up to a year in jail and a 15,000 euro fine.

Think about that for a minute and let it sink in.  Theoretically a man could find out when he turns 70 that his child isn't his, with no opportunity to have any other children (there aren't many 18-40 year old women keen to start families with men over 60 unless the men are rich!) and he can legally do nothing between now and then to check.

I did a bit of checking and it appears that Australia isn't that far behind following in a similar policy position.  Apparently, even the Australian Medical Association thinks so too!

Of course the reasons behind France banning it and Australia following suit is to maintain family harmony.  My question to the proposed ban is this: if there is a very real threat on men who threaten family harmony by choosing to not remain in the dark, what punishment awaits a woman who threatens family harmony by revealing true paternity later in life?  Nothing, that's what.

Hopefully Australia never goes down the same path as France, but looking back on my conversation with that French man all of those years ago I wish I knew that France had outlawed DNA testing by fathers, so I could ask him if France were really such a good example of a well-run free country since it deems that the ignorance of its men is worth threatening liberty over.  That doesn't sound like a country founded on liberty.

If France were being fair about their laws then any woman who reveals that her husband is not the biological father of her children would also face a similar penalty.  But that would be mean to women, so I wouldn't count on any kind of reciprocal law any time soon.  Liberty, equality?  Not if you're a man in France.