First equality bill passes

Same-sex couples will now have full access to the federal Family Court after the Rudd Government’s first equality bill passed the Senate on Monday.

Co-mothers and co-fathers can be considered for child support and visitation rights under the new system if allowed under state or territory law.

Family First senator Steve Fielding was the lone figure to stand against the bill’s final passage, and claimed there would be -œchaos in the court now de facto couples would have access to resolve financial aspects of a relationship break-up.

-œThe Government are trashing the special status of marriage by giving benefits to other relationships, Fielding told the almost-empty Senate chamber.

He also claimed more couples would choose to have children outside of wedlock, now there was no practical advantage to the institution.

-œChildren do better with stability. Marriage legislation should be child-focused not adult-focused, he said.

Liberal spokesman George Brandis stood to contradict Fielding and defend the reforms. The wording of the new act protected the special status of marriage but didn’t discriminate, he responded.

Attorney-General Robert McClelland told Southern Star he was particularly thankful for independent senator Nick Xenophon’s support during the earlier debates.

Two remaining equality bills are awaiting Senate approval sometime in the two remaining weeks of Parliament.

Meanwhile, Liberal leader Malcolm Turnbull has stood up to the Australian Christian Lobby over its opposition to same-sex equality. He reportedly asked the gathering in Canberra over the weekend if they really thought gay men would marry a woman if denied de facto status with another man.