ACT Chief Minister
Jon Stanhope says Coalition senators have
shamefully and explicitly endorsed second-class
citizenship for same-sex couples by failing to
support the ACT's civil unions bill.
The Commonwealth,
with the support of Family First, has
successfully fought off a challenge to its
decision to quash the ACT laws.
Mr Stanhope has
congratulated ACT Liberal Senator Gary Humphries
for crossing the floor on the issue.
He says his
Government is now weighing up its options.
"We haven't made any
decisions, the first thing I will do is talk to
my colleagues. We'll talk about today and the
implications of the overturning of our
legislation," Mr Stanhope said.
"I think at this
stage it is important that we put on the record
how appalled we are at this abandonment of the
Commonwealth of our democratic rights - this is
a blow to the self governing status of the ACT."
The issue was raised
in the federal Parliament after the Federal
Government moved to have the laws disallowed.
During debate on the
motion to reinstate the laws, Greens Senator Bob
Brown told the Senate he was personally
offended.
"What is it about
these gentlemen that they can't recognise and
honour my relationship with my partner Paul,"
Senator Brown said.
Labor Senator Penny
Wong says same-sex couples are treated as
second-class citizens.
"We are akin to
students who aren't smart enough," Senator Wong
said.
Senator Humphries
told the Senate that regardless of personal
opinions, the ACT's right to make laws had to be
respected.
"We may not agree
with the ACT's legislative choices but we have
an obligation to respect them," Senator
Humphries said.
