Want to be part of the push
for Equal Rights ?
Thanks for your interest in the Lobby. We look
forward to welcoming you as a member and we have a membership
form online which you can print out and mail to us, or just leave
your details on our voice mail system on 02 9360 6650 and we can get back
to you. Alternatively email us at glrl@glrl.org.au.
Please do NOT leave any credit card details
on voice mail or email, for your own security.
Our Achievements
The Lobby has successfully led the fight for a number of significant
reforms, including establishing relationship rights in 1999.
Through 1992 and 1993 thousands of gay men and lesbians turned up for
the repeated rallies outside Parliament House, which ultimately led to
the passage of anti-vilification legislation in 1993.
The work of the our Anti-Violence Project in gathering statistics on
violence has led to the introduction of Gay and Lesbian Liaison Officers
in police stations across the state. The AVP’s recent Homophobia:
What are you scared of? campaign won a Violence Protection Award in 1998.
Further campaigns to reduce the level of violence are planned for 2000
and 2001.
The success of reforms in the Police Service has led to the Attorney
General to appoint a Gay and Lesbian Liaison Officer to coordinate a whole-of-government
approach to our issues.
Our constant push for law reform in relation to superannuation and age
of consent legislation has built awareness of the inequality we face and
attracted the support of human rights groups, lawyers, judges, unions,
academics and individual politicians from all major parties.
Our greatest success to date has undoubtedly been achieving recognition
of same sex relationships in NSW. Relationships law reform finally become
a reality in NSW when the Property (Relationships) Legislation Amendment
Bill 1999 passed through Parliament on 1 June 1999. This recognised
same sex relationships in most areas covered by State law. This has given
gay men and lesbians a range of rights from the right to visit one’s
partner in hospital to access to property division rights to the right
to have the same exemptions from stamp duty as heterosexuals. NSW became
the first State in Australia to confer broad recognition on same sex couples
putting us at the forefront of the fight for equality. Other states such
as Victoria and Queensland look set to follow.
Want to become a volunteer?
You do not need to be an experienced lobbyist to help in our work as
we need people with a range of skills and experience. Often we just need
another pair of hands. The Lobby is made up of a number of working groups
which deal with current campaigns and do much of the day-to-day work of
the Lobby. These are open to members of the Lobby.
Our Objects
The official objects of the Lobby, as defined in
our constitution, are:
- to protect and promote lesbian and gay rights
in New South Wales;
- to support, liaise and work with other organisations
to protect and promote lesbian and gay rights in Australia and internationally;
- to support, liaise and work with other organisations
in New South Wales for the protection of lesbian and gay rights in this
state;
- to raise money, employ staff and enter into
other financial and legal arrangements as may be appropriate to advance
the aims of this Association; and
- to do other such things as the Association
may consider necessary or desirable to achieve and advance the aims
of the Association.
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