Ministers to play final role in equality reforms
Rudd Government ministers are expected to remove the last discrimination against same-sex couples in regulations and legislative instruments before 1 January.
Defence Science and Personnel Minister Warren Snowdon announced last week he had signed the changes to the Military Superannuation and Benefits Scheme.
Same-sex partners of Australian Defence Force members will no longer be denied the payment of death benefits from superannuation schemes. The tax concessions on death benefits, currently made available to opposite-sex couples will also be available to same-sex couples, he said.
Further regulation portfolios with same-sex discrimination include immigration and politicians’ travel benefits. Neither the Immigration Minister, Chris Evans, nor the Remuneration Tribunal would confirm for Sydney Star Observer when those changes would take place.
But the changes to Defence superannuation came as welcome relief to those who experienced complete disenfranchisement before the military’s gay ban ended in 1992.
Should anything happen to me, it’s great to know that my partner won’t need go through additional trauma to access death benefits. It’s good to see increasing consideration for the needs of same-sex couples within the Australian Defence Force … it really makes it easy to serve, co-chair of the Defence Gay and Lesbian Information Service (DEFGLIS), Chief Petty Officer Stuart O’Brien said.
The announcement was the most significant improvement to address the needs of same-sex couples in the military since changes in 2005 that recognised same-sex couples for housing assistance and other entitlements relating to interstate or international postings.
O’Brien said DEFGLIS wanted to play a larger role working with support organisations like the Defence Community Organistion to ensure the unique needs of gay and lesbian members were addressed.
When will the Ministers, esp Ludwig and Macklin play a role in genuine ‘equality’ and grandfather elderly gays from the abuse that will befall them under the new legislation. For 15 years groups have been grandfathered over and over, but not old gays, why not. OLD is easily done away with and we all know what GAY is.
Shame on our Ministers who do not reverse this and immediately protect those in our community who need and deserve this.
When you are 90 and someone threatens you with revealing a long term secret which makes you fearful, which GLBTI advocate will you call, which gay media personality will you rely on? Don’t count on it unless you put your hand up now, there will be no community if we don’t sort this out together and stand up as one.
Gay activists in the US are asking ‘where are your outspoken leaders and celebrities’ and so am I.