Rudd Forges Ahead with Aussie Equity Plan

The term “marital relationship” could remain in federal superannuation law as the Rudd Government looks to get Coalition support for the first of its same-sex equality bills before Parliament resumes later this month.

The compromise, unopposed by GLBT lobbyists, is one of a number of minor terminology changes that would allow the Coalition to save face with its conservative members, while keeping its principled support for removing same-sex discrimination.

The issue of interdependency and recognizing non-couple and carer relationships will also not further delay the equality bills, with consensus now that the issue is more appropriately dealt with by a separate House of Representatives committee inquiry.

But the way the Government wants to protect superannuation inheritance rights of children in same-sex families is a much larger concern for the Coalition and no easy solution has appeared.

Read more at starobserver.com.au.