Exciting! Exciting! Exciting! A date has finally been set which will see Queensland’s first same-sex civil unions taking place. While the bill was opposed by the Liberal National Party and other crossbenchers, this timeframe however means that if the LNP wins office in March 24, the law will remain in place, because its leader Campbell Newman had previously indicated the law would only be scrapped if no couples had entered into same-sex civil unions at the time of change of government.
Brisbane Times is reporting that Deputy Premier Andrew Fraser who lead the civil unions push has said the enactment of the law would a “landmark and historic occasion” for the state.
“I know that for many people this day has been a long time coming,”
“While it isn’t marriage, it is the next best thing and as far as a state government can go in promoting relationship equality.”
This new legislation allows any couple, regardless of their sex or sexual orientation, to formally register their relationship as a civil union, and if chosen to also have a ceremony to celebrate it.
Attorney General Paul Lucas has said that as of February 23, couples will be able to lodge paperwork with Queensland’s Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages and have their unions formalised from Monday, the 5th of March.
“This legislation removes the artificial and arbitrary barriers to same-sex couples having their relationship formally and legally recognised,” The Attorney said, adding, “I expect many couples to use the progressive laws to see their relationship recognised either through registration or a formal ceremony and I congratulate them in advance.”
The civil unions bill was passed in State Parliament on November 30 during the final sitting week of the year, Four Labor MPs, the entire LNP parliamentary team and most cross-benchers voted against the laws, Newman, who currently doesn’t have a seat in Parliament announced LNP MPs would vote as a bloc against Mr Fraser’s private member’s bill, and would repeal the law if possible. So where does this now leave same-sex couples?
During an interview with Brisbane times.com.au in December Newman indicated he would not push ahead with scrapping the law if civil unions had already occurred at the time of a change of government, because of the impact it would have on couples who had entered into such partnerships.
“If that had occurred that would obviously be an unacceptable and intolerable situation for them, so in that scenario we wouldn’t be doing anything,” Newman said. He shared his support for allowing same-sex marriage, but had dismissed Fraser’s civil unions push as a “stunt” and “distraction” arguing that any change should be done at a federal level so there was consistency from state to state.
“There are thousands of Queenslanders to whom these laws mean so much. The whole state will hold Mr Newman to account and see if he stands by his word,” Deputy Premier Andrew Fraser reportedly said in an attempt to hold Newman accountable.
The civil partnership forms, along with more information, are available on the Department of Justice and Attorney General website.
