Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

This is an important question and I thank Senator Lundy for raising it in the Senate. The Attorney-General has outlined the government’s plan to remove discrimination against Australians in same-sex relationships from acts governing Commonwealth superannuation schemes. The reforms would ensure that same-sex couples are no longer denied the payment of death benefits from superannuation schemes or the tax concessions on death benefits currently made available to opposite-sex couples. These reforms honour an election commitment of the Rudd government. These reforms are long overdue. The reforms will remove the discrimination and replace it with decency and fairness. The policy will make a practical difference to the lives of a group of our fellow Australians who have suffered discrimination for far too long.

Unfortunately, senators will be disappointed in this house to hear that the coalition are delaying this long-overdue reform. Not only are they referring it to a Senate committee—they did that this morning—but they have refused even to give the committee a reporting date. Instead, the Liberals, on the other side, have moved a motion, and had it carried, preventing the committee from reporting until it has also reported on other legislation that is yet to be introduced.