Generation Q (New South Wales, Australia), News
by Editor-in-Chief, 13/08/2006
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LAST WEEKEND'S EVENTS AROUND THE NATION TO RALLY AGAINST SAME-SEX MARRIAGE BANS Generation Q (New South Wales, Australia), News by Editor-in-Chief, 13/08/2006 |
Yesterday, Sunday 13th August, 2006 could be a day to remember in our history in what could be the beginning to final recognition by the Australian Government of same-sex marriages. What events occurred that distinguishes this particular day from any other ordinary day? People turned out in their thousands to both metropolitan and country centres to protest against the Federal Government's ban on these same-sex marriages. The National Day of Action was held to commemorate the 2004 ban on same-sex marriage which was passed federally. A spokesman for the Community Action Against Homophobia (CAAH) said that due to increasing rates of homophobic violence and abuse a lot more is needed to be done to address these issues legally. It is now time for the government to move forward in introducing more stricter homophobic laws and penalties. Also in latest news, as a State Election looms closer in Victoria it has been said that a proposed private members bill to legally recognise gay civil unions or same-sex marriages in Victoria could prove an unwanted distraction for Premier Steve Bracks. Independent MP Andrew Olexander was to unveil a bill recently that sought to give same-sex couples the same rights under Victorian law as married couples. This bill is based on the ACT gay marriages bill, which was recently rejected by the Federal Government, and acknowledges that a civil union "is different to marriage, but is to be treated for all purposes in the same way as marriage". Gay and lesbian couples would be able to enter into a legally recognised union through a celebrant. They would also be entitled to the same rights as heterosexual couples, such as power of attorney and rights to property in the event of a break-up. The Bill says "A civil union is a legally recognised relationship that, subject to this act, may be entered into by any two people, regardless of sex" Mr Olexander conceded that his bill was unlikely to be debated before the election without the support of the Government but Mr Bracks' spokeswoman said last night "It is not in the Goverment's agenda" In yet another extraordinary event over the weekend 55 gay and lesbian couples attended a mass commitment ceremony on the steps of Parliament House to also call for recognition of gay civil unions. SHARON Clements and Fiona Sproles held hands as they exchanged vows on the crowded steps of Parliament House as part of the 55 couples who attended the ceremony to also exchange vows, and said that they would keep renewing their vows every year until gay civil unions are formally recognised, after they unofficially tied the knot in 2004. "Every year we are going to keep doing this until we can do it legally," Ms Sproles said. "We have lived together for three years, we both have wedding rings and yet because our relationship is not recognised, we still get people referring to 'your special friend'. But we call each other wives." |
State Labor backbencher Tony Lupton, whose Prahran electorate has a large gay population, said he supported gay civil unions, despite the Premier's insistence that the issue is not on the agenda before the November state election.
The Democrats and Greens also voiced their support for same-sex civil unions at the gay rights protest, one of the many held around Australia yesterday. The co-convenor or the Victorian Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby, Ron Thiele,who renewed his vows with his partner of 18 years, Robert Salinas, 14 years after their first unrecognised wedding,said most Australians supported recognition for same-sex relationships. "We had a marriage ceremony in 1992 with a Catholic priest on the lawn of my parents' house, but of course none of that is recognised by the state or Commonwealth Government," he said. "We are happily settled, we love each other, we are really one person, but they don't recognise our relationship as being legitimate." Andrew Dutton, 28, and his boyfriend, Elvis Caus, 26, also took part in yesterday's ceremony using the protest as a rehearsal for a legal ceremony one day. Same sex couples should have equal acknowlegement not only of their relationship but also all financial issues that affect them such as joint tax returns,Medicare and superannuation. In Western Australia, the gay and lesbian community was set to protest also over the weekend against the Federal Government's ban on same-sex marriages and also against the failure to remove discrimination against same-sex couples. The inner city rally was expected also to call on the State Government to let de facto couples register their relationships under WA law, protest convener Rod Swift said today. Mr Swift says he hopes to send a message to federal and state governments to move forward on equality for same-sex couples. The rally would also call on the WA Government to change state law to allow both same-sex and heterosexual de facto couples more certainty over their relationships. "De facto couples in WA have no way of proving their relationship, for example, in a medical emergency," he said. And finally in other news about the same topic we now go to Tasmania where gay and lesbian couples marked the anniversary of the banning of same-sex marriages with a card signing at Salamanca Place in Hobart, which was dubbed the "sad anniversary" card and was to be sent to the Prime Minister and other MP's. A spokesperson for the Tasmanian Gay and Lesbian Rights Group, says it is hurtful that the Government regards their relationships as second-class. Im sure this could be the beginning to an interesting few months as people around the nation are rallying together to not only protest against the discrimination of same-sex couples but also for equal recognition in allowing same-sex marriages. After all this is now the 21st Century....Are we always going to be living our lives back in the 20th century or are we all going to stand up now and be counted and recognised.
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