Australian: Rudd to delay equality reforms

The Australian reports that the Rudd Government is considering delaying the promised removal of legal discrimination against gays and lesbians, which will cost taxpayers up to $400million over four years.

The cost of removing legal discrimination against gays and lesbians is less than half the amount claimed by the Howard government, but the Rudd Government is still undecided about whether to include the reforms in the May budget.

Human Rights Commissioner Graham Innes said any further delay would be unacceptable. “Cost is not the issue. The issue here is a basic right and that is the right to equality…”