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References
The sources for the
information included on this website are
cited below.
71% of Australians
support an end to discrimination:
Galaxy opinion poll commissioned by
Get Up!
Australia behind
other western nations:
Same-sex marriage is legal in the
Netherlands, Belgium, Canada, Spain and
South Africa. Civil unions or their
equivalent are open to same-sex couples in
New Zealand, the UK, France, Germany,
Switzerland, all Scandinavian countries, the
Czech Republic, Luxembourg, Andorra, and
over twenty US, Mexican, Argentinian and
Brazilian states. Spousal rights denied to
Australian same-sex couples are also
available in Israel, Slovenia, Bulgaria,
Chile, Columbia... the list goes on. Only in
the US does national law fail to recognise
same-sex couples in as many areas as
Australian national law.
Australian national law is also behind the
laws of the states and territories. All
Australian states and territories recognise
same-sex couples as de facto couples.
Tasmania has a relationship registry that is
the equivalent of a civil union. The ACT
enacted a civil union scheme in 2006 which
was overruled by the Federal Government.
The records of the
major parties on recognising same-sex
relationships:
John Howard says that his
Government does not support discrimination
against same-sex couples.
However, since its election in 1996 the
Coalition has only recognised same-sex
partners as interdependents in private
superannuation schemes, some Defence Force
benefits, the skilled migration program and
anti-terror legislation. It refuses to
recognise same-sex partners as de facto or
married partners.
Kevin Rudd says the Opposition will
eliminate discrimination against same-sex
couples if elected to Government.
However, in the 13 years of Labor Government
prior to 1996, same-sex partners were only
recognised as interdependents for the
purposes of immigration re-union programs.
Labor refuses to allow civil unions or
marriage for same-sex couples.
Since 1996 at least 11 attempts by the minor
parties in the Senate to recognise same-sex
couples in a range of areas including
superannuation have been opposed by both the
Coalition and Labor.
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