Terry Barnes; 22/7/08
A bill before Parliament is not about marriage, it is about fairness. In the midst midst of uproar in Federal Parliament over the price of petrol, climate change and the economy, another issue has generated a great deal of passion. The Rudd Government’s drily named Same-Sex Relationships (Equal Treatment in Commonwealth Laws — Superannuation) Bill has caused big strains between social conservatives and liberals on both sides of politics. The bill’s intent is simple – — to give the same-sex partners of public servants, MPs, judges and defence force personnel the same rights of access to superannuation and death benefits now enjoyed by married and heterosexual de facto couples.
Tags: Australia, Homosexuality, Human Rights