International Civil Partnerships to be recognised in Queensland

As Australians have their voices heard on same-sex marriage, the Palaszczuk Government has moved to ensure that more national and international jurisdictions’ Civil Partnerships are now also recognised in Queensland.  

Attorney-General and Minister for Justice Yvette D’Ath said the changes came into effect today.

“Queensland’s Civil Unions laws are about inclusivity and ensuring loving relationships can be treated equally,” Mrs D’Ath said.  

“When these laws commenced, it was prescribed that relationships recognised under corresponding laws in New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory, would be recognised in Queensland.

“Clearly as more jurisdictions around the world recognise same-sex relationships this list has needed to expand.”

“From today, Queensland will also recognise Civil Partnerships from the ACT and South Australia, and civil partnerships and same-sex marriages from New Zealand, Canada, the United Kingdom, Scotland, the Republic of Ireland, South Africa, and the states of California, Hawaii and New York in the US.

Both civil partnerships and same-sex marriages under these jurisdictions’ laws will be automatically recognised as Civil Partnerships in Queensland. 

“While the State can’t legislate on marriage we can do everything in our power to provide recognised legal rights to as many couples as possible,” Mrs D’Ath said.

Queensland’s Civil Partnership laws allow for two adults who are in a relationship as a couple, regardless of their sex, to enter into a civil partnership.

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