On August 14, the Australian Democrats tabled a bill that aims to implement the recommendations of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission’s (HREOC) Same Sex, Same Entitlements Report, which outlined over 58 areas of legislative discrimination against same-sex couples in Australia. The Same-Sex Entitlement Bill was moved in the Senate by Democrats Leader Lyn Allison, but consideration of the Bill was stymied when the Government cabinet blocked attempts to examine elements of the Bill.
‘The Gay and Lesbian community have waited too long to have issues of discrimination rectified. Our Prime Minister has said before that he agrees these issues need to be addressed. Now it’s time,’ said Ms. Allison.
Human Rights Commissioner Graeme Innes AM has openly backed the Democrats Bill, saying that HREOC had made every effort to ensure that the report outlined the avenues necessary to change the law. ‘HREOC went to great efforts to make it as easy as possible for parliamentarians to prepare legislation which would quickly and effectively remove discrimination against same-sex couples. The introduction of this Bill so quickly after the release of our report shows that the blueprint we produced was worthwhile.’
Gay and Lesbian Equality (GALE) spokesperson Rod Swift has also thrown his full support behind the Bill and say the changes would be another step forward for the gay and lesbian community.’ The Bill is comprehensive in ensuring all 58 recommendations of the HREOC report are changed, human rights should never be dealt with in a piece meal fashion,’ Mr. Swift told OUTinPerth.
However support for GLBTIQ rights in the Senate, which has relied upon minor party support, may be at an end with recent polls indicating that the Democrats are in danger of losing seats in the upcoming election. Mr. Swift identified that the loss may reduce the Senate’s ability to hold the major parties to account on GLBTIQ issues, saying ‘the Australian Democrats, like the Greens, have had an unwavering and long-standing commitment to removing all discrimination against same-sex couples. It would be very disappointing if all Australian Democrats seats were lost, which would end their 30-year-long support for GLBTI rights in our Senate.’
