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 Civil Union Bill Dropped Over Veto Threat
by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff
Posted: May 5, 2008 - 1:00 pm ET
(Canberra) The Australian Capital Territory has
dropped plans for legislation allowing civil unions for same-sex couples
following a weekend threat by the federal government to veto the proposal.
The government of Australian Prime Minister Kevin
Rudd said that the ACT bill would contravene a federal law limiting marriage to
opposite sex couples. The law was enacted by the former Liberal government of
John Howard and Labor's Rudd has refused to consider repeal.
The stumbling block for Rudd appears to be a
provision in the ACT bill that would have allowed same-sex couples entering into
civil unions to have a ceremony.
A similar bill passed in 2006 but was overturned
by Howard. Rudd's action has earned him harsh criticism from ACT Attorney-General Simon Corbell
who accused Rudd of being no better than Howard.
Corbell said he had attempted to reach a
compromise with the federal government but to no avail.
He said that the bill will be withdrawn and
rewritten to allow couples to sign a registry but will not provide for any form
of ceremony.
He did not say when the revised bill would be
submitted to the territorial government.
The Civil Partnerships legislation would give
same-sex couples most of the rights married couples have under territorial law,
but would not include federal marriage rights. It also may be limited to
territorial residents.
Last week, despite its objections to the
territorial civil union bill, Rudd's federal government announced plans amending
about 100 laws to limited provide benefits to same-sex couples.
The amendments mainly involve pension laws which
will be amended to recognize same-sex partners in much the same way as the
partners in an opposite-sex marriage.
The changes also will guarantee partners the
right to visit each other in hospital and make medical decisions. The revised
laws will also recognize gay couples at senior citizen and nursing homes.
Federal Attorney-General, Robert McClelland said
the government expects the revisions to be completed by mid 2009.
©365Gay.com 2008
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