One of
Australia's
largest
employers,
Westpac
Bank,
has
joined a
list of
major
Australian
companies
that
recognise
the
same-sex
marriages
of their
employees.
Australian
Marriage
Equality
(AME)
spokesperson,
Alex
Greenwich,
welcomed
Westpac's
initiative
and said
it
indicates
growing
support
for
equality
within
the
corporate
sector
and in
the
community
generally.
On
joining
AME’s
list of
employers
supporting
equal
marriage,
Westpac
General
Manager,
Group
People,
Heather
Miles
said:
"The
Westpac
Group
treats
all
of
its
employees
equally
and
we
are
pleased
to
join
the
list
of
Australian
employers
that
recognise
employees
in
same-sex
marriages".
Westpac's
decision
also
applies
to
employees
of St.
George
Bank.
Westpac
joins
such
companies
as
Telstra,
the
Commonwealth
Bank,
Qantas,
IBM and
Seek on
AME's
growing
list of
employers
that
recognise
the
marriages
of their
Australian
staff,
whether
in
same-sex
or
opposite-sex
marriages.
These
companies
also
extend
the same
partner
benefits
and
entitlements
to all
employees
and do
not
discriminate
against
those in
same-sex
relationships.
According
to Mr
Greenwich:
"Community
support
for
same-sex
marriage
is
ever
growing.
Diverse
and
socially
responsible
organisations
like
Westpac
know
the
importance
of
adapting
their
employee
policies
to
reflect
this.
"The
move
is a
great
boost
to
the
gay
and
lesbian
employees
of
these
banks
and
provides
them
with
a
level
of
recognition
that
is a
credit
to
Westpac's
inclusionary
staff
policies."
Mr
Greenwich
said AME
is
inviting
the
Australian
Government
to also
join its
employers
list.
"We
call
on
Prime
Minister
Rudd
to
also
extend
to
government
employees
in
same-sex
marriages
the
kind
of
recognition
that
is
now
enjoyed
by
the
employees
of
some
of
the
nation's
largest
corporations."
See
employers
list
