Howard rejects equal rights for gay Australians

By Staff Writer, PinkNews.co.uk • September 13, 2007 - 17:25

Mr Howard said yesterday that the issue is “complicated“ but that he does not feel gay couples are entitled to equal rights.

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The Prime Minister of Australia has told his Liberal party MPs that he does not believe that gay and lesbian couples should be given the same rights as heterosexuals.

Backbench MP Warren Entsch, an advocate of equality, pressed John Howard at a meeting of Liberal parliamentarians.

Three weeks ago, after a heated meeting of the Cabinet, the final decision about whether gay and lesbian couples in Australia will be given equal rights was left up to Prime Minister John Howard.

His senior government colleagues are split on the issue.

Some feel it is not a priority for the government ahead of elections later this year and are concerned about the cost of reforms.

Other Cabinet members, especially those with sizable gay communities in their constituencies, argue that equal provision in areas such as Medicare and pensions must be in place before going to the polls.

Mr Howard said yesterday that the issue is "complicated" but that he does not feel gay couples are entitled to equal rights.

A report from the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC) was presented to the federal parliament in June.

It listed the 58 laws that need to be changed to grant gay, bisexual and lesbian Australians equal rights.

Despite hopes that those inequalities may be addressed by the Howard government, gay marriage is still off the agenda.

Not only is it not supported by the Liberals but last month the opposition Labour party came out against any form of gay unions.

The HREOC report found that same-sex couples and families in Australia get fewer leave entitlements, less workers' compensation, fewer tax concessions, fewer veterans' entitlements, fewer health care subsidies, less superannuation and pay more for residential aged care than opposite-sex couples in the same circumstances.

The report traced this pervasive inequality back to how lesbian and gay couples are excluded from federal law's definitions of couples, partners and spouses.

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