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MR0708
30 April 2008
Law Council Supports End to Same-Sex
Discrimination
The Law Council welcomed today’s announcement that Commonwealth
laws which discriminate against same-sex couples will be either gone
or on their way out by year’s end.
The Government announced that it will introduce legislation in the
winter sittings of Parliament to eliminate discrimination against same
sex couples in over 100 areas of Commonwealth law.
This includes the 58 areas identified by the Human Rights and Equal
Opportunity Commission in a report released last year, and many
further areas identified by additional Government research.
Law Council President Ross Ray QC said, “Any step towards
eliminating discrimination brings us closer to meeting our international
human rights obligations, makes us a fairer, more just community and
ought to be greeted with strong approval.”
However, Mr Ray stressed that the job would not be complete until the
Commonwealth Marriage Act is also amended to remove legal
restrictions preventing the marriage of same sex couples.
“As long as the Government remains intent on preserving a special
class of state-sanctioned relationship which is closed to same-sex
couples, discrimination will persist,” Mr Ray said.
“And it will persist regardless of whether or not any Government
entitlements are exclusively available to couples within that limited
class.”
He said the Law Council would continue to advocate for reform in this
area.
“In the end, it’s simple – all people are equal before the law and should
be entitled to the same fundamental rights,” Mr Ray concluded.
Media Contact: Elenore Eriksson,
Director Public Affairs - 02 6246 3716/0419 269 855
The Law Council of Australia exists to represent the legal profession at the
national level, to speak on behalf of its constituent bodies on national issues,
and to promote the administration of justice, access to justice and general
improvement of the law.
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