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Rudd demands watering down of ACT laws |
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Written by Equal Love Canberra
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Sunday, 29 November 2009 23:11 |
Equal rights activists are furious that the Rudd Government has vowed to override the ACT's new civil union laws as they currently stand, and have urged the Stanhope Government to stand by its electoral mandate to keep official ceremonies. The developments come ahead of nationwide rallies this weekend (details below) calling for full marriage equality in response to a Senate report due this week.
ACT Chief Minister Jon Stanhope met with Federal Attorney-General Robert McClelland yesterday to discuss the recent addition of official ceremonies to civil union laws. Mr Stanhope said he would give "serious consideration" to Mr McClelland's demands. Negotiations will continue about how the laws should be amended.
"It is outrageous that the Rudd Government will again trample on the ACT Government's democratic right to provide official ceremonies to same-sex couples," spokesperson for Equal Love Canberra, John Kloprogge, said.
"The Stanhope Government drafted these laws - based on the advice of now Commonwealth Solicitor-General, Stephen Gageler SC - in such a way as to avoid a legal conflict with federal marriage laws," Kloprogge added.
Kloprogge said that, regrettably, the real issue was prejudice.
"Given that the legal advice supports the case for official ceremonies, it's clear the Rudd Government's talk of 'inconsistency' is just a smokescreen to hide its own prejudices," Kloprogge said.
"A 60 percent majority of Australians support full equality for all couples, regardless of gender. The Rudd Government will win no votes by being mean-spirited and out-of-touch," Kloprogge said.
Kloprogge urged the LGBTI* community not to give up hope, particularly after the Victorian ALP state conference voted to support equality last weekend.
"The tide is turning, and the Australian people support equality more than ever. Same-sex couples can still have ceremonies. The Rudd Government is only alienating itself by ignoring its rank-and-file and opposing progress," Kloprogge concluded.
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Media comment:
John Kloprogge, ph 0422 913 942.
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Legal advice, Stephen Gageler SC:
http://equallove.info/sites/default/files/Advice.pdf |
