Human Rights Commission adds voice to marriage equality call

Human Rights Commission adds voice to marriage equality call
Image: Human Rights Commissioner Tim Wilson.(File image; photo by Matto Lucas)

THE Human Rights Commission has increased pressure on the government by calling for the Marriage Act to be amended to recognise same-sex partners.

In a new report, the Commission has also said one in four LGBTI Australians have experienced harassment or violence.

While Prime Minister Tony Abbott hinted he might grant a conscience vote to Coalition MPs, so far no concrete moves have been made to allow members on the government benches to vote in favour of marriage equality.

To be launched this morning by Human Rights Commissioner Tim Wilson and Federal Attorney-General George Brandis, the Resilient Individuals report into sexual orientations, gender identity and intersex rights also calls for law reforms to eliminate state-sanctioned discrimination.

“Almost 75 per cent of respondents reported experiencing some type of bullying, harassment or violence on the bases of their gender identity or sexual orientation; and almost 90 per cent reported knowing someone who had experienced bullying, harassment or violence,” Wilson said.

“Reducing the unacceptably high rates of violence against LGBTI people is critical.”

The Commission will now undertake a “scoping project” and data analysis of violence rates towards those in the LGBTI community.

The report said the Marriage Act should be changed to equally recognise the partnership of two adult persons regardless of gender.

The Commission also called for inconsistencies between state and territory anti-discrimination laws to be ironed out and children under the age of 18 to access hormone treatment without recourse to the family courts.

“While marriage equality has been a prevailing focus of the national discussion about LGBTI rights, there are many other systemic issues and human rights challenges that urgently need to be addressed,” Wilson said.

“Our nation must do more to urgently address the unjust discrimination faced by LGBTI people.”

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7 responses to “Human Rights Commission adds voice to marriage equality call”

  1. Tim still has a very long way to go towards his defacto role he’s been given after all the nasty attacks towards Dr Triggs…

    I’m yet to be convinced of the genuine concern he has for the community when he lobbied for Hillsong at the I.P.A

    A far right wing gay man is an Oxymoron as a Human Rights Commissioner

  2. It is good that the 100 page report I just read – also fully highlights and acknowledge new gay sex criminal law record expungement schemes and also both gender identity and intersex status human rights as well!

    Even if marriage equality passed in Australia and became law there are still inequality in lots and lots of these state/territory areas:

    * Gay and bi men still can not donate blood within a year;
    * SA still bans IVF access to single women and lesbians;
    * Lack of joint-adoption equality in VIC, SA, NT and QLD;
    * Lack of altruistic surrogacy equality in both SA and WA;
    * Gay Panic Defence still within QLD and SA criminal provocation law or common law; and
    * Lack of an gay sex criminal record expungement scheme in NT, WA, QLD, TAS and ACT.

  3. People already recognise same-sex relationships and partners in Australia. So those numbers just sounds like a made up news and survey.

    • Yes it is true Tom, gay couples in Australia are treated as de facto couples under the law since 2009 – but still can not get legally married! That is the discrimination in 2015, clearly within the Australian Marriage Act 1961!

      Vote 1 Greens