Same sex couples win another rights battle

The Australian government will introduce over 100 law reforms that will allow gay couples the same rights as straight couples.
Under the changes, gay couples in long-term relationships would be treated the same as married couples on issues such as taxation, pensions and welfare payments.
The legislation to remove same-sex discrimination from Commonwealth laws will be introduced in the winter sittings of Parliament.
The news follows last month’s announcement that lesbian couples will be legally treated the same way as opposite-sex parents under State Government reforms.
Under the changes Lesbian parents will be both named on a child’s birth certificate, meaning children will have two legally recognised parents.
The removal of discriminative same sex laws was an election commitment from the Rudd Government and comes after years of lobbying from gay and lesbian groups.
Attorney-General Robert McClelland said the long-overdue reform follows the landmark report of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission’s Same-Sex: Same Entitlements, which focused on financial and work-related legislation.
The Labor Government commissioned an audit of Commonwealth laws, which identified other areas of discrimination, soon after coming into office.
‘The changes will provide for equality of treatment under a wide range of Commonwealth laws between same-sex and opposite-sex de facto couples. Importantly the reforms will also ensure children are not disadvantaged because of the structure of their family,’ Mr McClelland said.
Areas where discrimination will be removed include tax, superannuation, social security, health, aged care, veterans’ entitlements, workers’ compensation, employment entitlements, and other areas of Commonwealth administration.
Most reforms will commence soon after the legislation is passed in the coming months. In some areas – such as social security, tax and veterans’ affairs – the reforms will be phased-in to allow time for couples to adjust their finances, and for administrative arrangements to be implemented. All of the changes are expected to be implemented by mid-2009.
Mr McClelland said the changes will not allow gay marriage and the Government had no plans to legalise same sex civil unions.
‘In keeping with the election commitment, the changes do not alter marriage laws. They will make a practical difference to the everyday lives of a group of our fellow Australians who have suffered discrimination under Commonwealth laws for far too long,’ Mr McClelland said.