recognition of same-sex couples. . .
too progressive for victoria?
Demonstrate on the opening day of State Parliament, 4.30 - 7 pm, Parliament
House.
Called by Q.U.E.E.R. (queers united to eradicate economic rationalism)
"We'll fight for you" (remember the Liberal Party advertisement in the
Midsumma Guide?)
In recognition that 34 laws still discriminate against queers in Victoria,
the Statute Law Amendment (Relationships) Bill has been introduced into
parliament. We are still waiting for the Liberal Party to fight for" us.
The Queer community is uniting to demonstrate our anger at the Liberal
Party on Tuesday April 3rd from 4:30 til 7pm, on parliament house steps.
In November last year, the Statute Law Amendment (Relationships) Bill was
introduced into Parliament.
This Bill seeks to amend 44 Victorian Acts which currently discriminate
against same sex couples.
A new legal category of "domestic partner" will be created which will
encompass both heterosexual and same sex long-term relationships.
The new term domestic partner will replace de facto spouse in each law.
The areas of the law covered include:
* property rights - same sex couples need to pay up to $15,000 in stamp
duty when buying a joint property which heterosexual couples are exempt from
* guardianship and administration - same sex couples must prove to a court
that they are in a relationship before one has the right to care for the
other in times of sickness or injury
* superannuation payments
* health related legislation - same sex couples may not have hospital
visitation rights, even if the partner is dying
* employment rights - those in same sex couples may not be entitled to
bereavement leave if their partner dies
* crime assistance acts - people in same sex partnerships may have
difficulty filing an intervention order against an abusive partner because
they are not considered by the law to be in a "relationship"
This bill will not address many issues that queer people deal with on a
daily basis, yet it has been written off as too "controversial."
These include:
* IVF / artificial insemination - Lesbians and single women's rights to
these are still obstructed in Victoria, and now Howard's "family values"
are making access even harder.
* Adoption - Everyone knows queers make the best parents, yet no government
in Australia has recognised our right to establish our own families, even
though such laws already exist in other jurisdictions.
* Youth Allowance / social security - young queers are forced to stay at
home + economically dependent in homophobic environments, unless they can
prove to Centrelink they have been abused by their parents.
Reform is not enough. The limited amount of equality and tolerance that
these laws establish is an inadequate response to the homophobia and
heterosexism in our society.
Society and the family structure are fundamentally based on the institution
of heterosexuality, which excludes all those who won't conform to the ideal
of the nuclear family. Same sex couples, queer families, single mothers,
and women who choose to live autonomously.
Heterosexual values dominate everything from the law to the church,
science, medicine, education, the social security system, the mass media
and our culture as a whole. This is heterosexism.
On Tuesday the 3rd April, when parliament resumes, the queer community will
be demanding an end to the Liberal Party's capitalist agenda of
>homophobia >sexism >racism >exploitation of workers
The Liberal Party is currently blocking the passage of the Fair Employment
Bill, giving minimum protection to =EDsVictoria 144 000 outworkers, and
workers in other industries. The queer community needs to be united in
linking with the struggles of other oppressed groups. This is why
Q.U.E.E.R. is encouraging our community to join in the anti-capitalist
blockade of the Stock Exchange @ M1
For info about Q.U.E.E.R. contact the Queer Department at Melb Uni 8344
8159 or RMIT 9925 3707
--
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