ACT jumps further ahead

The ACT Government has officially removed discrimination against same-sex families, allowing them the same access to parental leave as heterosexual couples.

The Parental Leave Legislation Amendment Bill 2008 went through the ACT Legislative Assembly and will change current laws whereby only one partner in a same-sex couple is allowed parental leave to care for children.

The ACT Government says it will allow both parents to spend more time with their children and this puts the capital territory ahead of other states in regards to same-sex family equality.

The family is an important part of the bedrock of our society and no family should be discriminated against, Industrial Relations Minister Andrew Barr said in a statement.

It appears not everyone approved, with Barr calling on Opposition Leader Zed Seselja to explain why he absented himself from the vote on the Bill.

Both during this debate and also the debate of the Civil Unions Act, the Opposition leader has absented himself from the Chamber, Barr said.

It’s time the Opposition leader explained to same-sex families and couples if he thinks they deserve the same rights as other Canberrans, and if not, why not?

The ACT Government had to back down for the second time earlier this year from plans to establish its Civil Partnership Bill due to pressure from the Rudd Government’s stance on same-sex marriage.

The ACT instead provided a relationship registration in line with Tasmania and Victoria’s proposed registrar in the coming months.

Unfortunately, both Commonwealth Governments made it clear they would undemocratically override the Civil Partnerships Bill if passed by the ACT Legislative Assembly, Barr said.

The Federal Government unveiled a draft of changes to workplace standards in June that mean gay and lesbian parents could receive unpaid parental leave as of 2010.

Victoria faces a parliamentary conscience vote on issues around fertility rights and surrogacy legislation for same-sex singles and families later in the year.

Meanwhile, the Iemma Government is reexamining NSW’s surrogacy laws and has already overhauled parenting laws for lesbian couples this year.

However, there is still no commitment from the NSW Attorney-General John Hatzistergos to introduce a same-sex relationship register in NSW, despite pressure from the Rudd Government to do so.