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The Victorian Relationships Register Bill, which will allow same-sex couples to formally and legally register their relationships, looks set to pass the state’s upper house this month.
The Bill was approved easily in the lower house last month, with a vote of 54 in favour to 24 against. It will now proceed to the Legislative Council in April, where Labor is two votes short of a majority.
However, all three Victorian Greens MPs in the upper house have confirmed they will support the Bill.
Labor members will vote unanimously to support the Bill; and with the support of the Greens, the register will be in effect by December this year, according a spokesperson from the Victorian Attorney-Generals office.
However, the Greens are not convinced this legislation is enough to ensure full relationship recognition for same-sex couples.
“I support this Bill, but it is far from full equality,” said Greens MP Greg Barber.
His colleague, Sue Pennicuik, explained that the Greens intend to introduce amendments to the Bill when the Legislative Council sits next month.
“We propose to introduce amendments that the Victorian Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby have been calling for, and one of those is the recognition of registered relationships in other states and territories,” she said.
Gay rights advocates share the Greens’ concern that the Bill does not go far enough.
“While the relationships register is a welcome step towards equal recognition for same-sex couples, we still have concerns we hope will be addressed as soon as possible,” said Civil Union Action spokesperson, John Kloprogge.
“First, it lacks the option of an officially-recognised public ceremony. Second, it does not extend adoption rights to same-sex couples.”
Victorian National Party leader Peter Ryan voted against the register, claiming that the Bill will undermine marriage.
“What this bill does is to establish a structure which is a step towards equalising the notion of a same-sex relationship, in particular with marriage,” Ryan told The Age.
The Australian Christian Lobby’s (ACL) support of the Bill demonstrates what some see as the inadequacy of the register.
“We support the Bill,” ACL State Director, Rob Ward, told Queensland Pride, “as it deals with occasions where there is unjust discrimination, but we do not think that it is a stepping stone towards gay marriage. We are not concerned at all”.
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