Growing call for equality timeframe

PFLAG placed an advertisement in a national newspaper Monday calling for timeframes to back up the anti-discrimination promises on both sides of federal politics.
The call joins those of lobbyists around the country who want clear guarantees that whichever party wins government later this year will give same-sex couples equal rights in the next term.
Deputy Prime Minister Mark Vaile on Sunday claimed the Government had already moved to recognise same-sex de facto couples in legislation.
“As far as recognising different structures of de facto couples in different aspects throughout legislation in Australia, we’ve moved a long way in that regard,” Vaile told Meet The Press, “particularly both in terms of heterosexual and homosexual couples and their perfect right to exist and live in that environment.”
PFLAG national spokeswoman Shelley Argent was stunned Vaile could be so uninformed.
“Where has the Government done these changes?” Argent demanded.
“If he believes what he said, he’s going with the general belief that same-sex couples already have these rights, or he’s speaking bullshit.”
She said ordinary Australians were stunned when told of 58 laws that still discriminate against same-sex couples, and it was time they were no longer treated on the outer.
Argent contributed to the ad hoc committee hearing chaired by Democrats leader Lyn Allison, but wanted more from the major parties.
“Both Labor and Liberals are saying we’ll get around to it, but we want to know when, there’s no timeframe,” she said.
“The advertisement was to get the message out to the public and the Government that we want equality for our sons and daughters.”
The advertisement in The Australian was the second sponsored by PFLAG, supported by donations from the community following the first earlier this year.