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Time
to act on Super Reforms
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Background
Although
we achieved recognition of same sex relationships in most areas of state
law in 1999, discrimination is still a problem in many federal laws.
The most important of these is superannuation.
Lesbians
and gay men make the same contributions as their heterosexual colleagues
but do not receive the same benefits. Among other things this means that
when a lesbian or gay man dies, their partner is often denied access to
death benefits. More information on the impact of discriminatory super
laws is available from our fact
sheet.
In 1998, the
Lobby worked with Federal Member for Grayndler, Anthony Albanese, to develop
a private member's bill to fix the problem. If passed, the Superannuation
(Entitlements of Same Sex Couples) Bill 2000 would remove discrimination
from federal legislation dealing with private super schemes. Government
super schemes will have to be amended separately due to limitations on
what private members' bills can do.
The Senate
Select Committee on Superannuation and Financial Services has looked at
this Bill and released its report in April. The majority of the committee,
made up of the Labor and Democrat Senators, supported the Bill and it
looks certain to pass through the Senate. But despite the completely unprecedented
number of submissions in favour of the Bill (over 1200) and the underwhelming
opposition to it (only 5 submissions opposed it), the Government Senators
on the Committee wrote a minority report opposing the Bill. This means
we face a huge struggle to get the Bill through the Lower House so it
can become law.
Superannuation
will continue to be a focus of activity - those wishing to join the Campaign
Working Group which is responsible for lobbying should contact the Lobby.
For
More Information
The Lobby
has been campaigning on this issue for some time producing a discussion
paper in 1996, Superannuation and Same Sex Relationships, which examined
the issues in some detail. 1999 saw the Human Rights Commissioner, Chris
Sidoti examine the issue of discrimination in government superannuation
schemes and support equal rights for same sex couples. The Human
Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission report found that current
superannuation legislation contravenes at least 2 international treaties
- the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights and the
International Labor Organisation Convention on Discrimination (Employment
and Occupation). It also examines the issues in more detail.
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Get Involved today!
Print out a membership
form and mail it in. You can contact us one of the following
ways:
Phone: (02) 9360 6650 - Fax:
(02) 9331 7963 - PO Box 9, Darlinghurst, NSW, 1300 - Email: info@glrl.org.au
(Contact the webmaster here
> jason@webitwebsites.com)
© Gay
and Lesbian Rights Lobby Inc. (Incorporated in New South Wales)
All rights reserved.
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