Rudd pushes on with equality plan

The term marital relationship could remain in federal superannuation law as the Rudd Government looks to get Coalition support for the first of its same-sex equality bills before Parliament resumes later this month.

The compromise, unopposed by GLBT lobbyists, is one of a number of minor terminology changes that would allow the Coalition to save face with its conservative members, while keeping its principled support for removing same-sex discrimination.

The issue of interdependency and recognising non-couple and carer relationships will also not further delay the equality bills, with consensus now that the issue is more appropriately dealt with by a separate House of Representatives committee inquiry.

But the way the Government wants to protect superannuation inheritance rights of children in same-sex families is a much larger concern for the Coalition and no easy solution has appeared.

Since the Senate Constitutional and Legal Affairs Committee held public hearings into the same-sex superannuation bill two weeks ago, Sydney Star Observer has been told negotiations are under way to ensure bipartisan support.

One Labor staffer said dropping the new term coupled relationship and reverting to marital or de facto relationship would not impact on the purpose of the reform to remove same-sex discrimination.

Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby co-convenor Emily Gray said that was true as long as same-sex couples are explicitly included in the definition of de facto relationships.

We would prefer -˜coupled relationship’ because it is equal and applies to both heterosexual couples, whether married or de facto, and same-sex couples, Gray said.

But because of the importance of the other issues involved, this is not a sticking point.

This will not affect substantively the rights of same-sex couples. Whether or not they’re called married and de facto couples still means they’re substantively equal. It is less important than if they were lumped in with interdependency.

Since the inquiry hearings the Lobby is now confident that same-sex couples will be recognised as de facto relationships, not as interdependent.

The inquiry is due to report by 30 September, but could be finalised as early as next week when Parliament resumes.