2 December 2005
Civil
Unions for Australian Capital Territory
The ACT Government
has announced the introduction of civil unions for
same sex couples.
The Government went
to the last election promising to look at the issue
of recognition for same sex relationships.
The Territory has
gone one step further than Tasmania, which allows
for the registration of same sex unions.
The Chief Minister,
Jon Stanhope, said the new civil union laws would
afford gay couples the same legal rights as those
enjoyed by their heterosexual counterparts.
"The civil union
scheme which we're proposing to introduce
effectively creates the relationship in the same way
a marriage effectively creates a relationship," he
said.
The convenor of the
Sydney Branch of Australian Marriage Equality,
Malcolm McPherson, congratulated the ACT government
on giving same sex couples the option to have their
relationships recognised on the same level as
married heterosexual couples.
"Fair minded
Australians recognise the value to the community of
all committed loving relationships and that these
relationships should have the support of families,
community and government.
"AME looks forward to
the Federal Government ending its discrimination
against same sex couples under the Marriage Act by
providing full and equal recognition to same sex
marriages", said McPherson.
