Australian region
approves same-sex civil unions

The Australian Capital Territory has become the first jurisdiction Down Under to legislate same-sex civil unions. The ACT legislative assembly on Thursday night passed an act legalizing same-sex civil unions, making it clear that there is a difference between marriage and civil unions. The federal government, which holds veto power over ACT legislation, had threatened to overrule the act if it passed in its original form, alleging that it sought to portray civil unions as marriages. But ACT attorney general Simon Corbell explained, "We accept that a civil union is not marriage--you cannot conduct a same-sex marriage under the marriage act--but we are legislating for a civil union between people who are in a same-sex relationship, and we are giving them the same rights and the same recognition under ACT law as people who are married. It is not the same as marriage, but it will be treated, for the purposes of ACT law, in the same way a married relationship is." The federal government also objected to the recognition of overseas same-sex marriages and, under pressure from religious conservatives, asked that the age of consent be raised from 16 to 18. To meet those objections, the act recognizes all overseas same-sex unions and requires people under 18 to obtain parental consent and a court order before entering a civil union. Federal attorney general Philip Ruddock says he's waiting to see the details of the bill--as well as advice from his officials--before deciding whether to block it. (Sirius OutQ News)