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Australia Could Delay Gay Reforms

Reforms in Australia which would allow gay and lesbians more rights could be delayed.

The new government led by Kevin Rudd is considering whether to include the removal of legal discrimination against gays and lesbians - which would cost taxpayers up to $400 million over four years - in its May budget.

The Government is said to be considering delaying the reforms until next year, but senior government insiders say such delays are not motivated by cost savings.

"Cost is not the issue. The issue here is a basic right and that is the right to equality, and we don't judge those in financial terms," Human rights commissioner Graeme Innes has told The Australian.

"Any further delay would be unacceptable...the budget is the absolutely right time to send that message that couples shouldn't be treated differently simply because of who they love."

He said delaying the reforms until the end of the year or next year would be "disappointing."

Attorney-General Robert McClelland recently told the newspaper that the number of laws discriminating against gays and lesbians was almost twice what it was thought to be, with about 100 federal pieces of legislation ignoring homosexual couples.

Australian Coalition for Equality spokesman Rodney Croome told The Australian that there were many older and retired same-sex partners for whom reform was urgent.

"Clearly, same-sex partners have been subsidising the public purse to an extraordinary degree, thanks to the fact that their equal financial contribution to government coffers has not been matched by equal entitlements," he said.

Author: Joanne Oatts

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