PRESS RELEASE - 17 September 2001

Attorney General Commits to Law Reform

The NSW Attorney General Bob Debus has formally written to the Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby (GLRL) committing to further lesbian and gay law reform in NSW. The letter is a formal response to the GLRL Convenors Alex Sosnov and Anthony Schembri August meeting with the Attorney General.

“We’re very pleased to read in the Attorney’s letter that he has been true to his word at our meeting and put pen to paper committing to further law reform for gays and lesbians in NSW” said Schembri. “In particular the Attorney has formally committed to amending anti-discrimination laws to be inclusive of same sex couples by introducing domestic status replacing martial status as a ground for discrimination” Schembri noted.

“The Attorney has also committed to other reform in the area of same sex relationships “ said Sosnov, who added “this reform implements recommendations of the Report of the Standing Committee on Social Issues and is inclusive of workplace entitlements and other laws such as industrial relations which still negatively impact upon same sex couples”.

“These reforms will go a long way to re-dress much of the inequality faced by lesbian and gay couples in NSW”, said Sosnov.

The Attorney General did not commit to reform in the area of adoption rights nor in equalising the discriminatory age of consent laws for young gay men in NSW and “this is where the Lobby will continue the fight for our rights”, said Schembri. He also said, “It is not good enough to continue to ignore and discriminate against us in these areas and the Lobby calls upon the Attorney to demonstrate leadership as his ALP counterpart has recently shown in Western Australia”.