Palaszczuk Government embraces equality

The Palaszczuk Government has delivered on its election commitment on civil partnerships, introducing a bill to State Parliament to give couples of any gender the right to celebrate an official ceremony while having their relationship registered.

Attorney-General and Minister for Justice Yvette D’Ath said the Relationships (Civil Partnerships) and Other Acts Amendment Bill overturned the LNP’s attack on equality that tried to belittle and hide public recognition of same-sex couples.

 In 2011, the Labor Government’s Civil Partnership Act 2011 introduced not only the relationship registration process, but also gave couples the opportunity to have an official ceremony.

 The following year, former Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie scrapped the ceremony provisions and changed terminology so relationships would no longer be recognised as civil partnerships.

 “The LNP launched a petty, ideological attack on the LGBTI community, taking away their rights to share a special ceremony with their friends and family to celebrate the love between two people,” Mrs D’Ath said.

 “By contrast, Labor is progressive rather than prejudiced, and promotes dignity over division.

 “There is more to acknowledging a relationship than assigning it a particular legal status or registration number. It is about making a formal commitment to our significant other in front of our loved ones, and celebrating the love and value we bring to each other’s lives.

 “The Palaszczuk Government is proud to be leading the way on such an issue of basic human rights.”

 Mrs D’Ath said the government listened to the range of perspectives through consultation with celebrant associations, lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, intersex organisations, and religious and family groups.

 “We acknowledge there is both strong support and opposition from sections of the public but we believe this is about doing what is fair, and supporting the equality and dignity of all Queenslanders.”

More: 3719 7414