Australia: ACT [Australian Capital Territory] plan for marriages thwarted

Link: Sydney Morning Herald

Excerpt:

IN DECEMBER, Kevin Rudd gave hope to gay and lesbian couples by indicating he would not use Commonwealth powers to override same-sex marriage laws passed by states and territories, as the Howard government did.

"On these matters, state and territories are answerable to their own jurisdictions. State and territory governments are elected to govern, they are accountable to their constituents," Mr Rudd said then.

Yesterday those hopes were snuffed out when the ACT Labor Government abandoned plans that amounted to gay marriage after the Rudd Government said they would be overridden.

The ACT Attorney-General, Simon Corbell, said the territory had been going to legally recognise same-sex civil union ceremonies but had been advised by the Commonwealth that this resembled gay marriage and would be overturned.

The laws were to be similar to those the territory passed in its 2006 Civil Partnerships Bill that were disallowed by the Howard government.

"Given the stubborn refusal of the Federal Government to consider any compromise, the territory has decided to amend its legislation to provide for a form of civil partnerships without ceremony," Mr Corbell said.

"This will allow gay and lesbian couples in Canberra to legally formalise their relationships and unequivocally demonstrate their legal status so as to access Commonwealth superannuation, taxation and social security law reforms."

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[jw]