Toolkit for Marriage Equality-Australian Marriage Equality (AME) is calling on the National Human Rights Inquiry to support same-sex marriage as a matter of fundamental human rights. AME spokesperson Alex Greenwich said that laws preventing same-sex marriage violate the right to equality before the law and dismissed civil union schemes as a substitute for equality in marriage.’We have developed a toolkit to help community members show their support for full legal equality, which is available on the AME website.’ www.australianmarriageequality.com
New Advisory Committee Joins AFAO-The Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations (AFAO) has welcomed a new government advisory committee to its ranks. Assembled by Minister for Health and Ageing, Nicola Roxon, the Ministerial Advisory Committee on Blood Borne Viruses and Sexually Transmitted Infections (MACBBVS) will develop new National Strategies for HIV, STI and Hep C. The 17 members of the committee are from various health services, universities and government departments across the country.
Soap Gets Dirty, with Lesbians-Prime-time soapie, Home and Away is causing outrage among Christian and conservative family groups by including a lesbian storyline. Police woman, Charlie Buckton (played by Esther Anderson) and fishing trawler deck-hand, Joey Collins (played by Kate Bell) are set to share ‘intimate kissing and dancing scenes’ according to the show’s website. In an interview on the site, Esther Anderson said she is looking forward to telling the story and telling it in the right way. ‘I believe it’s important to tell stories like this and for them to be told in a non-sensationalised way to show the normality of a gay relationship.’
Centrelink Discovers Gay Couples-The Federal Government has launched a nation-wide advertising campaign called ‘Couples are Couples’ in order to inform people of Centrelink changes that will take effect as of July 1. Minister for Human Services, Senator Joe Ludwig says the reforms will remove unfair discrimination against same-sex couples and their children across a range of government services and entitlements, but along with new rights comes responsibility. Same-sex couples claiming any type of benefit have between March 30 and June 30 to inform Centrelink of their situation. They can do this by calling 13 62 80.
St Mary’s Continues Stoush with Archbishop Bathersby-The stand-off continues between the Catholic Church and St Mary’s church in South Brisbane, with Archbishop John Bathersby now taking legal action to remove Father Peter Kennedy from the parish. Father Kennedy says that if he is forced to move from the church he is confident his parishioners will follow and support him, though he would be disappointed if cut off from the Catholic Church. ‘Sure, it’s a dysfunctional family but you don’t just leave your family because it’s dysfunctional,’ he said. ‘We always have great fun and we’ll continue to have fun no matter where we go.’
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