Page 1604 - Week 05 - Thursday, 11 May 2006
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married person be treated differently in relation to the sale of a motor vehicle? Do married people deserve greater protection under the Witness Protection Act? Or, on the other hand, should both parties in a same-sex relationship be able to claim the first home owners grant? The answer to these questions is clearly no. We should treat all relationships the same—and that is the practical effect of what is proposed with this change to ACT legislation.
There is strong public support for the enactment of civil unions. A recent Newspoll taken in February 2006 found that 52 per cent of respondents supported the introduction of laws to formally recognise same-sex relationships. Support for civil unions was even higher amongst younger Australians and women. I know that Canberrans want a fair, open and inclusive society that respects and embraces people in non-traditional relationships. It is time our law reflected these changes in society and formally recognised same-sex relationships.
I would like to make some observation on the Registration of Relationships Bill that Mr Stefaniak has proposed on behalf on the Liberal Party. In the context of the recent amendments to the commonwealth Marriage Act, this bill can really only be viewed as offering grudging tolerance of same-sex couples. It is better than nothing, but really it is just recognition by the Liberal Party that absolute opposition to any form of same-sex relationship recognition would be politically untenable.
I consider this a win for the progressives. It is hard to imagine that the ACT Liberal Party of 2003 would propose such legislation. In fact, three years ago the conservatives were trying to block the Tasmanian law reforms that they are now championing in this place. Those opposite cannot continue to walk down both sides of the street on this issue by saying to gay and lesbian Canberrans on the one hand, “We do believe in you and we value you as members of our society,” but on the other hand saying, “By the way, you cannot have access to a civil union.” If they really do value gay and lesbian Canberrans, they will come out and support the Stanhope government’s civil union scheme that enables people in loving relationships to make a legally recognised public declaration of their commitment. It takes more than showing up at Mardi Gras to demonstrate support for the community. You have to take a stand in this place, where the laws of the territory are made.
Strong relationships deliver important benefits for us all. We all define ourselves in some way by those we choose to share our lives with. Love, trust, intimacy and commitment are to be found at the heart of all good relationships. There is no good argument for allowing only opposite-sex couples to formalise and celebrate their relationships and to deny that right to same-sex couples. Those who oppose the Civil Unions Bill have frequently talked about its alleged dire effect on families. This ignores the fact that gay men and women have families too. We are sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, cousins, aunts and uncles and we are parents.
This government has seized the opportunity to support family and to say plainly that no-one deserves to be excluded simply because of his or her sexual orientation. We have drawn a line in the sand. The Civil Unions Bill encourages, empowers and protects couples who want to make their relationships loving, long term, stable and committed. We all should embrace such relationships because they enrich us all.
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