Six months after the Federal Government quashed the ACT’s civil unions bill, the territories Attorney-General Simon Corbell introduced new legislation into Parliament. The bill is the ACT Government’s second attempt at giving same sex couples the same rights as married couples.
Mr Corbell said the new Bill replaced the term “union” with partnership to avoid using the language or reference to marriage.
The Commonwealth argued that civil unions opposed its definition as referred to under the Marriage Act 1961, which states a union to be exclusively between a man and a woman.
The new Bill, which is likely to become law by March next year, will enable same sex couples to be recognised in a domestic partnership.
Under ACT law a domestic partnership recognises all legal relationships including marriage and de facto relationships.
Mr Corbell will later approach Federal Attorney-General Philip Ruddock to seek comment on the revised legislation.
