GenQ - For the not so straight individual

The Australian Democrats have set up their own inquiry into the Same-Sex: Same Entitlements Bill 2007 following a decision on Wednesday by all Coalition senators to block a formal Senate inquiry into the bill.

“It seems the Government doesn’t want to address this issue in an election year. But the Government’s veto in the Senate can’t prevent us from holding our own inquiry at Parliament House,� Democrats leader Senator Lyn Allison said.

This is only the second time that a “private� Senate inquiry has been conducted in the history of the Parliament — the first by Democrats Senator Sid Spindler in 1995.

The Same-Sex: Same Entitlements Bill will implement the recommendations of a Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission inquiry which found that 58 federal laws deny same-sex couples the same entitlements as heterosexual couples.

“The Government says it wants to remove financial and work-related discrimination against same-sex couples. So what’s stopping it? We’ve identified the discriminatory laws, and we’ve put together a bill to amend those laws,� she said.

“I hope this inquiry will demonstrate to the Government the urgency of bringing about these reforms, and I hope it will help to answer any questions the Government might have about the financial cost of implementing the bill if it were to become law.�

Other political parties will be invited onto the committee which will be chaired by Senator Allison.

The committee is calling for submissions from interested groups and individuals. Details for making submissions are available at www.democrats.org.au/glbti. The closing date is September 3 and the committee will report by September 10. It will hold a public hearing at Parliament House in the first week of September.

Senator Allison will also set up a board at Parliament House containing photos of same-sex couples who want to see an end to the discrimination. Photos can be emailed to tim.wright@aph.gov.au.