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

I seek leave to make a short statement relating to notices of motion Nos 674 and 675.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for two minutes.

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

I held this up so I could combine the two statements in the interests of both making the government’s position plain and not asking for four minutes to speak on notice of motion No. 674 and No. 675. The government’s position is that it is our view that it is not appropriate to single out one particular civil partnership. Since the laws were enacted last year in the Australian Capital Territory, there have been a number of couples who have had their relationships officially recognised as civil partnerships. There are also couples in Victoria and Tasmania who are able to access relationship recognition schemes. The Rudd government supports the development of relationship recognition schemes, which provide for couples which have a mutual commitment to a shared life to have their relationship officially recognised.

In respect of general business notice of motion No. 675, as indicated, the government does not support the motion. Any changes to self-government in the ACT must be based on broad consultation and consensus across the community. The constitutional implications for any change to self-government arrangements would need to be carefully considered by the Commonwealth. Any changes must strike the right balance between the Commonwealth’s direct interests in the territory as the national capital and home to Australia’s democratic institutions and the territory’s legislative powers. Any change must also strike the right balance between local sovereignty and Australia’s nationhood.

Bob Brown (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make short statement.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for two minutes.

Bob Brown (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That is a statement from a government made up in this case of undemocratic wowsers and sad sacks. Why on earth in 2009 can’t this Labor government remove discrimination from people who care to love each other and want to engage in the same rights to publicly celebrating that connection that everybody else in the community has? It is just Howardian hangover by Rudd Labor. It is offensive, it is hurtful and it is destructive. On top of that is this ongoing propensity for Labor to override the will of the elected representatives of the Australian Capital Territory. That is trammelling on democracy itself. This is a Rudd government showing not only its bigotry but its disrespect for a representative assembly. It ought to think long and hard about that. This is the Rudd government saying to the people of the ACT: ‘You are second rate. You don’t deserve the same right to determine your affairs as people in the states do.’ I will shortly be introducing a piece of legislation to help rectify that. It is time the Rudd government treated the people of the ACT—and, indeed, the Northern Territory—with the same respect that all Australians have and that they deserve to have as well.