December 2007 Articles, Thoughts & Resources

PM Commits to protect marriage / Victoria allows IVF for lesbians / ACT revives Gay Union Act /
Brendan Nelson supports relationship rights for homosexuals

FEDERAL LABOR

Christian Lobby Thanks Prime Minister for Confirming Commitment to Protect Marriage .

(17/12) Australian Christian Lobby Media Release | The Australian Christian Lobby (ACL) today thanked Prime Minister Kevin Rudd for again confirming Labor’s commitment to upholding the special status of heterosexual marriage and dismissing the idea that Federal Labor would allow same-sex civil unions.

ACL Managing Director Jim Wallace said that the Prime Minister’s statements on the topic to reporters in Brisbane yesterday were in keeping with Labor’s pre-election commitments and were welcome for removing the doubt that had arisen on this issue over the last two weeks.

STATE LABOR: VICTORIA

Sweeping changes to Victoria's IVF program

14/12 Excerpted from a PM transcript (ABC Radio) | The Victorian Government has announced sweeping changes to surrogacy laws. They'll pave the way for single women and lesbians to get fertility treatment without having to be certified as medically infertile.

Gay and lesbian rights groups have welcomed the changes because they'll no longer have to travel interstate to arrange fertility procedures or surrogacy treatments.

Victoria's Attorney-General Rob Hulls, says the changes merely bring Victoria into line with other states.

ROB HULLS: Our laws have fallen behind advances in medical technology and changing social attitudes and family structures.

DANIEL HOARE: Rob Hulls says the view of the State Government is that the love of a child is a more important factor than the way that child was conceived.

http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2007/s2119537.htm

STATE LABOR: ACT

Corbell to revive gay union Act

(5/12) Article: Canberra, Your Guide | The ACT has revived its bid to allow gay marriages now that the federal Liberal Party which twice blocked the plan is out of the way.

ACT Attorney-General Simon Corbell said yesterday he was optimistic the new Rudd government would not prevent the laws finally going through. With the change of government, gay unions in the ACT could become law early next year

... The proposed ACT laws would be among the most progressive in the country, allowing for an official ceremony in which same-sex couples give legal undertakings to each other before a third party. The Civil Partnerships Bill is already tabled in the Legislative Assembly.

The outgoing federal Liberal Government twice used its territory powers to quash attempts by the ACT to allow gay unions, saying such laws would undermine the institution of marriage.
Attorney-General Philip Ruddock overruled the ACT over gay unions in June 2006, and threatened to do it again in February this year, forcing the ACT to sit on its legislation until now.
The Liberals' disallowance of the ACT gay union laws sparked a debate about territories' rights, and prompted ACT Liberal senator Gary Humphries to cross the floor.

While the Rudd government did not comment yesterday on the ACT bid for gay unions, Mr Corbell said federal Labor had consistently stuck to its position that the registration of same-sex relationships was up to the states and territories.
He noted federal Labor had voted against the Liberals' decision to override the ACT gay marriage laws.
Mr Corbell said he was confident federal Labor would continue to hold its position on same-sex unions.

http://canberra.yourguide.com.au/news/local/general/corbell-to-revive-gay-union-act/1095913.html

FEDERAL COALITION

Brendan Nelson supports relationship rights for homosexual couples.

(2/12) Saltshakers Media Release |Within two days of becoming leader of the federal parliamentary Liberal Party, Brendan Nelson has announced that he supports the granting of equal rights to homosexual couples in 'economic' and 'social' areas.
He said he does not support granting rights in the areas of same-sex marriage, IVF and adoption.

In an interview on ABC's Insiders Brendan Nelson was asked about his statement on homosexual rights... this is what he said in his own words.

BARRIE CASSIDY: This morning there's a report that you're backing equal legal rights for same sex couples but that's not the same as supporting gay marriages, is it?

BRENDAN NELSON: No, look, marriage in my view is between a man and a woman. It is the foundation of our society. I do not support gay marriage. I do not support gay adoption. I do not support gay IVF, but I believe very strongly that the economic and social injustices faced by homosexual people across this country need to be addressed, from taxation to social policy issue. And I realise that there are some people listening to this, watching this, some of them quite conservative perhaps, who feel a little unease about this.