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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 3 Hansard (11 March) . . Page.. 892 ..
This amendment inserts a note concerning the word "spouse"at the end of the definition of domestic partner. The note clarifies for the reader that "spouse"has its ordinary meaning.
Amendment agreed to.
MR STANHOPE
(Chief Minister, Attorney-General, Minister for Community Affairs and Minister for the Environment) (4.42): I move amendment No 3 circulated in my name [see schedule 3 at page 896]. Mr Speaker, as I indicated, this note is being inserted in order to make it clear to the reader that the current well-understood meaning of "spouse"is not affected by the use of the broad and inclusive term "domestic partner".Amendment agreed to.
MR STANHOPE
(Chief Minister, Attorney-General, Minister for Community Affairs and Minister for the Environment) (4.43): I move amendment No 4 circulated in my name [see schedule 3 at page 896].Debate (on motion by Mr Wood) adjourned to a later hour.
Discrimination Amendment Bill 2002 (No 2)
Debate resumed from 21 November 2002, on motion by Mr Stanhope:
That this bill be agreed to in principle.
MR STEFANIAK (4.49): Mr Speaker, I will start by putting on the record a bit about the Discrimination Amendment Bill 2002 (No 2). Part of this bill relates back to the legislation bill we have just been debating. Looking at the current status of voting on that bill-at 10 to five-it is painfully obvious that, whatever happens, once it is sorted out, it will be passed and that the definitions relating to this part of the discrimination bill, which we have already dealt with to date and which have been passed, will apply.
I want to make that clear since clause 5 of the Discrimination Amendment Bill (No 2) adds new definitions for "domestic partner"and "domestic partnership". Advice received from Parliamentary Counsel is that the government will be opposing that just so they can be consistent with the legislation amendment bill we are currently looking at. That would apply whether Mr Smyth's amendment is successful or not. I accept the advice of Parliamentary Counsel there.
Any part of the Discrimination Bill that relates to the Legislation (Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender) Amendment Bill obviously has the numbers to get through as is, and some parts of it deal with that. That being said, there are other sections of this bill, and there are a number of factors here. There is some discussion, when I was being briefed in relation to this-
Mr Stanhope
: Point of order, Mr Speaker. I have a point to make on procedure. My advice is that the bill actually being debated can only proceed if the previous bill is
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