LNP does back flip on Homosexual civil unions
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| English: Campbell Newman. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
The Queensland Government says it will not repeal same-sex civil union laws in the state, but the legislation will be amended.
After promising that they would repeal the Civil Union Act, Premier Campbell Newman and his Attorney-General have decided civil partnerships will still be formally registered, but there will be no state-sanctioned ceremonies.
The original bill was rushed through Parliament by the then Labor government in order to gave votes from homosexuals in the seat of Mt. Cootha, before the March state election, prompting the LNP to promise it would look into repealing them. The ALP lost his seat anyways.
Mr Newman is pro gay marriage and declared as much during the election campaign, even though his party's official position is against it.
He says changes to the Civil Partnerships Act are a sensible compromise and will preserve couples' rights.
"[They are] minimal amendments that will keep, if you like, the legal rights of people who have already registered civil partnerships," he said.
"The thing that has, if you like, offended Christian groups is that the current provisions in the Act, particularly section 11, seek to emulate marriage."
On Tuesday, Mr Newman said there was a lengthy discussion in cabinet which considered a paper from Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie, who also considered the laws which operate in New South Wales and Tasmania.
"If you look at the legal reasons for relationship registration, for instance the Succession Act where one wants to leave items in a will to their partner, it authorises that to take place," Mr Bleijie said.
"There was a strong argument in the community that people, for next-of-kin reasons and for hospital reasons, they needed to prove that relationship. So it wasn't that the relationship didn't exist prior to that or under the de facto relationship; the difference is under the de facto you have to prove the relationship.
"By having the registration enables the people to prove that relationship with a lot less bureaucracy and red tape."
There is one significant change; Section 11 of the Act allowed people to go through a state-sanctioned service, much like a wedding ceremony.
As a concession to Christian groups it will be scrapped.
"That of course does not preclude people from having their own ceremony, a matter for them privately to do whatever they want," he said.
Wendy Francis, from the Australian Christian Lobby, is happy with the outcome.
"What Campbell Newman has done, I think, has pulled us into line with the other states," she said.
"We now have what is equal to a relationship register. So the paths of this legislation that have been mimicking marriage have been removed and for that I'm very grateful."
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