NSW to get relationship register
Same-sex couples in NSW will finally have access to a state relationship register.
NSW Attorney-General John Hatzistergos yesterday announced Government plans to establish state-based registers along the lines of those in the Australian Capital Territory, Victoria and Tasmania.
“The register will ensure NSW is aligned with Commonwealth Government moves to remove discrimination against unmarried people in heterosexual and same-sex relationships,” Hatzistergos said.
“Couples who choose to register their relationship will be provided with one document that helps prove their relationship and will be spared the frustration of constantly having to supply agencies with copious amounts of paperwork.”
Couples eligible to register will need to be over 18 and in an exclusive relationship. One member of the couple will need to be a resident of NSW, and the couple must not be married or registered overseas.
Hatzistergos said work needs to be done on the legislation to ensure there was reciprocal recognition of relationships registered in other states.
The NSW Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby called the move encouraging, but said it would be no substitute for full marriage equality.
“A registration scheme for both heterosexual and same-sex couples provides a tangible and documented form of relationship recognition. However, it still lacks the symbolic and universal recognition that comes with marriage,” lobby co-convenor Benjamin Keats said.
Fellow co-convenor Kellie McDonald said the community wanted diverse forms of recognition.
“Registers are one form, however, the ultimate goal for same-sex relationship recognition is full marriage equality,” she told Sydney Star Observer.
Australian Marriage Equality spokesman Peter Furness called it “a good move” although he was concerned about provisos that could be placed on couples already registered overseas.
“There are many same-sex couples who are married elsewhere who may not be able to re-register in NSW,” he said. “That’s clearly an issue because we don’t have federal marriage laws.”
Coalition for Equality spokesman Corey Irlam shared this concern.
“Legislation should include an extension of this recognition to international schemes,” Irlam said.
“In addition, a NSW scheme should include mutual recognition of the Tasmanian, Victorian and ACT schemes. It would be ludicrous to think the moment you crossed state borders on holiday, your registered relationship wouldn’t be recognised.”
The move was welcomed as a stepping stone towards a nationally consistent system for recognising de facto couples.
“This is consistent with Labor Party policy for the establishment of state-based registration schemes and will put pressure on other states to act,” Furness said.
Gay Labor MLC Penny Sharpe also praised the move, calling it “another important step towards equality”.
Thank you to all those above who’ve justified my cynicism in our peoples’ party state government. Without watchdogs such as yourselves, we’ll always be excpected to be grateful for any little crumb thrown our way. cynicism/humour = seeing through the bullshit!
Love from Hell.
PS Poor little christina needs a miraculous change of attitude toward us to stop being NSW’s most popular Premier ever defeated.
Rudd made clear before the 2007 election he opposed gay marriage but supported equal entitlements. And he delivered on both counts.
We are second class citizens.Thats the reality.Once again we are being told we are not equal enough,not good enough,not..whatever enough to have the same rights as straights.
Kevin Rudd,You and your Labour government came into power promising so much change.Instead we have this SHAMEFUL,DISGRACEFUL contempt of human rights on the EVE of MARDI GRAS.How absolutely pathetic.Don’t count on our vote again,MR RUDD and the labour party.
Looking back to May 2008 – Queensland also “promised” before the March 2009 Election that it will also introduce laws to establish a relationship registory based on the Victorian model. The bill was NEVER introduced (there was in fact no Relationships Bill 2008):
http://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/Bill_Pages/Bill_52_08.htm
Here was the 2008 news:
https://starobserver.com.au/news/2009/03/31/queensland-register-plans-in-doubt/5198
I bet it is just “Labor spin”, until I read the 2010 Bills list on the NSW Legislation website (under Bills introduced) it is just a hoax.
http://quest-news.whereilive.com.au/your-news/story/glitf-qld-urges-qld-legislature-to-follow-nsw-example/
Dave, your anti catholic argument is a silly rant – Keneally voted for an equal age of consent!
I don’t think Archbishop Pell wanted that.
(However, as the Rights Lobby points out, the key remaining state legislation we STILL need fixed is adoption.)
Seperate is not equal. This kinda reminds me of when Howards Liberals tried to force us into third rate independency relationship status.
For those of you who do not know about Marriage laws in Australia please get the actual facts and read the Commonwealth Marriage Act 1961 (sections 6 and 88EA) and the Australian Consitution (section 51).
State Governments did (prior to 1961) regulate marriages – then from 1961 the Commonwealth took full control of marriage – this is NOT the US where the state governments still in 2010 regulate marriage.
Ben,
NSW Labor does not support Gay Marriage like the Victorian Government does. It’s official position is it is against it. The Victorian Government is for Gay Marriage.
Outrage at the Catholic Mafia that control the NSW Labor is very justified.
Accepting the State based register does not mean we stop fighting for the Commonwealth Government to allow marriage/civil unions.
Put simply, marriage is a Federal Act.
The state’s cannot offer to marry people – but they can, and have, control over de-facto laws.
It is ridiculous to condemn or get outraged by the latest state reforms. Take your passion for the parliament in Canberra.
Looks like the Catholic Mafia in Labor wants our vote!
Governments registers cats and dogs, and now us.
The Catholic Mafia in Labor has just said we are not fit to have children as couples so what the fuck are they doing this for?
What a cheap shot at pink votes.
OH please!we do not accept it for what it is…there is no full equality here.We are being treated as second class citizens.State,Federal whomever should be ashamed of themselves.
I don’t want second class relationship laws just because that is all thats on offer.
Australia may boast that it has the biggest G+L MG parade but when it comes to G+L rights it has a long way to.Then again what can one expect when you look at what happened (and still is happening)with Aboriginal rights etc.Gay marriage laws in 2050 maybe ??
Ben, every heterosexual in every state can get married so whats the difference?.
The fact remains that they are punishing gay people who married overseas and the state is showing it’s displeasure by not allowing those people who would want to register to register.
In the US in the 60’s when there where bans on black people riding at the front of the bus black people protested by refusing to use bus services rather than swallow their pride and sit at the back of the bus.
The powers that be know that they are throwing us crumbs and denying us equal treatment, don’t buy into their crap by accepting that our relationships are less than theirs.
ONCE AGAIN (Liz please read this carefully!)…the State Government cannot offer marriage.
A state-based register, as exist in other states, has limitations, but then again so did the de-facto reforms passed around 1999.
Accept it for what it can do, and keep fighting at a Federal level for what we need.
The “Significant Personal Relationships Bill 1997” status:
http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/nswbills.nsf/1d4800a7a88cc2abca256e9800121f01/4622f663d08ce7a74a256682000e9f2a?OpenDocument
I just did some research and found out that Clover Moore had this idea – you guessed it way way back in 1997.
http://www.clovermoore.com/main/?id=288
What,I’m meant to be grateful and register my relationship like I would register a dog? fuck off!!. Relationship resgisters are insulting enough and they add to it by saying that you can’t register if you got married overseas, they’re punishing you for something that isn’t recognised here anyway. This is the equivalent of relationship apartheid with one thing for heterosexuals – marriage and relationship registers for gays and lesbians, we should not dignify this by participating.
15 years late..Just get on with full equality or are we going to wait another 15 years.As you politicians will have noticed in the countries brave enough to pass marriage laws the roof hasn’t fallen in.Grow some balls for once and get on with this issue.
Were is the legislation or the bill for establishing a Relationship Registory????
I looked on the NSW Parliament (bills section) just today at 10 pm – and guess what no “relationship bill 2010” as of yet!!!!!
http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/nswbills.nsf/V3BillsHome
Smells like a complete hoax to me or I know if it is not a hoax they are waiting for Labor to be re-elected in March 2011, then they will establish a relationship register.
Am I right or what – I know how the tricky and deeply unpopular NSW Labor works?????
I’m sick of this crap. Why are we just sitting by and letting ourselves be treated like this? This is not good enough. Its time we stood up as a community and told the country we will no longer accept being treated as second class citizens.
I was wondering when this is supposed to be done :) big talk is going on for a long time :) any deadline? thanks
Ben, yo’re rright. It’s not full married equality but it shows our Premier State Government cares for all it’s population (is that an election bell I hear peeling the deth knoll next year?)
Love from Hell xo
Another welcome step down the road towards full equality.
(No it’s not marriage, but a state government can’t grant marriage).