Govt blocks same sex entitlements inquiry

Govt blocks same sex entitlements inquiry

Findlaw.com.au reports that Democrats Senator Andrew Bartlett has slammed the federal government for using its Senate majority to block a Senate Committee from examining legislation seeking to implement the recently completed Human Rights Commission report into discrimination against same-sex couples.

The Democrats had introduced legislation into the Senate put into law the recommendations from the Human Rights Commission’s report, Same Sex: Same Entitlements . The party sought to have a Senate Inquiry “to assess whether or not [the] Bill adequately reflects and implements those recommendations, before moving to have it passed by the Parliament prior to the election.”

“The federal government repeatedly says it supports removing discrimination against same-sex couples, yet it repeatedly blocks every single effort by the Democrats to implement this basic principle in law,” Mr Bartlett said.

Stephen Page, Harrington Family Lawyers, Brisbane spage@harringtonfamilylawyers.com 61(7) 3221 9544

Request an Appointment
Fill in the form below to find out if you have a claim.
Request an Appointment - Stephen Page
Things to Read, Watch & Listen

Should You Go to Columbia for Surrogacy?

In this video, I explain why Australians should pause before pursuing surrogacy in Colombia. As an experienced family and fertility lawyer, I want to be upfront: this is complex territory. If you are considering international surrogacy, you need to involve an expert surrogacy lawyer early — not as an afterthought. I walk through the legal landscape… Read More »Should You Go to Columbia for Surrogacy?

Surrogacy in Mexico: Important Update

In this video, I explained why Mexico has become a more attractive option for some intended parents than the United States — and why that does not mean the journey is easy or without serious legal pitfalls. As someone who has lived infertility, worked on more than 2,000 surrogacy journeys across 39 countries, and advised Australian… Read More »Surrogacy in Mexico: Important Update

Meta’s Surrogacy Policy Dilemma: Lessons from Facebook’s Review

A few years ago, Sarah Wynn-Williams interviewed me, as Facebook was looking at what position it should take about commercial #surrogacy. Facebook was concerned about the possibility of exploitation. Two great difficulties I pointed out were: What is commercial #surrogacy? There was no clear definition, and many shades of grey, making it difficult to characterise… Read More »Meta’s Surrogacy Policy Dilemma: Lessons from Facebook’s Review

Family Law Section Law Council of Australia Award
Member of Queensland law society
Family law Practitioners Association
International Academy of Family Lawyers - IAFL
Mediator Standards Board