In a positive step towards equality for the GLBT community, a new bill has been passed by the Australian lower house aimed at ensuring equal treatment for gay and lesbian couples.

Now through Federal Parliament, the Same-Sex Entitlements Bill moves to the Senate.

The bill will attend to the important topic of partner rights, removing discrimination against same-sex partners in areas such as immigration, taxation, veterans' pensions and aged care. This follows a bill introduced earlier in the year that was aimed at removing discrimination in superannuation.

Attorney-General Robert McClelland told the House of Representatives that opposition Liberal MPs who claim the legislation will undermine marriage are "simply wrong."

"It was perhaps disappointing that they went further to suggest that far from removing discrimination against same-sex couples, we should be discriminating in favour of married couples," McClellend said.

The Labour government had made an election manifesto commitment to reform following last year's Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission’s report.

The new legislation, which effects 19 government departments and amends a massive 68 laws, recognises de facto couples, even if one or both partners are still legally married to someone else.

This has led some Liberal party critics to accuse Labour of legalising polygamy.

In 2004, under former Prime Minister John Howard, federal legislation banning same-sex marriage was passed.

Many had hoped that the change from a Howard led Liberal Government to a Kevin Rudd led Labor Government in November 2007 would move the debate about gay marriage in a positive direction. However, although Labour has decided to tackle legal inequities between gay and straight couples, it maintains that marriage is only between a man and a woman.

Tags: gay australia, gay marriage, gay rights