Gay Partnerships Exceed Aussie Expectations

The Civil Partnerships Act 2008 was passed by the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Legislative Assembly in May. The Act allowed gay couples to legally register their partnerships for the first time.  Since, there have been 23 registrations and two commitment ceremonies.

ACT Attorney-General Simon Corbell said that the numbers “exceeded all expectations”, which were expected to be around 15 per year.

Aussie Panties in a Wad Over Gay Dance

A GAY love sequence in children’s stage fantasy Cinderella on Ice has infuriated family groups and angered federal politicians.

The Russian-based Imperial Ice Stars show — featuring former Olympic and world champion skaters raised some eyebrows at its Arts Centre premiere on Tuesday night.

Dozens of children were among the audience at the ice spectacular, which plays in Melbourne until Sunday before touring the world for the next two years.

Gay lobbyists and a children’s advocate applauded the move by renowned artistic director Tony Mercer to include the dance by two gay lovers in a scene.

This reminds me of America’s reaction in 1957 when Ballet’s greatest choreographer, George Balanchine, placed the first African-American Premier Danseur, Arthur Mitchell, on stage in the Agon pas de deux with Alegra Kent. Audience members were outraged and protested Mitchell partnering a white woman. We’ve come a long way, but have a long way to go.

Read more about Cinderella on Ice at news.com.au, or read more about Arthur Mitchell at the-ballet.com.

Father of Slain Gay Son Calls Killer a Coward

The father of a young man allegedly murdered by his gay lover has labelled the man accused of the killing a coward after he refused to appear in view of the family in court today.

Michael Peter Atkins, 45, was arrested yesterday at his unit in the southern Sydney suburb of Cronulla and later charged with murdering 20-year-old Matthew Leveson, who disappeared in September last year.

In a brief hearing at Sutherland Local Court today, Mr Atkins declined to be brought up from the holding cells, disappointing family and friends of Mr Leveson, who were waiting in the public gallery.

Get the rest at news.com.au.

Football Coach Sacked for Being Gay

Former state premier Jeff Kennett has provoked a gay rights storm by backing a football club that sacked a trainer for being gay.

The Hawthorn president and potential Melbourne lord mayor sparked calls for his sacking after saying Bonnie Doon Football Club was within its rights to sack veteran trainer Ken Campagnolo after it found out he was gay.

“The club felt that once this had been pointed out and you had this gentleman there who was obviously close to young men - massaging young men - it ran an unnecessary risk and that’s why it decided it was best that he not perform those duties again. So the club was trying to do the right thing,” Mr Kennett said.

“When you are in charge of a group of young boys, as this club was as I understand it, it’s got to make sure.”

Mr Kennett said it was as if the club had a pedophile trainer.

“It’s the same if you have a pedophile there as a masseur, right?”

“And you might say the pedophile would do no damage, but once it was pointed out to you, you have a duty of care to those underage children not to put them in a situation of risk.”

He could not guarantee a gay trainer would be welcome at Hawthorn, adding: “I don’t know if we’ve got any.

“I’m just saying at the moment we have a duty of care to our players and staff and you have to make judgments on that. If you don’t do it you end up with potential legal liability.”

Get the rest of the story from news.com.au.

NSW Government Seeks Lesbian Aid

The New South Wales Government wants a federal law amended so children of lesbian couples can seek child support if their parents separate. State Attorney-General John Hatzistergos says co-mothers are not recognised in Family Court proceedings under the current laws. Mr Hatzistergos says he will ask the Federal Government to change the Family Law Act to include lesbian parents at a meeting of attorneys-general this week.

“It’s important that the laws be amended to ensure that these children are treated in the same way that children of heterosexual relationships are, so that in the event that the parents split up, there is an entitlement for that child to be able to seek child support from co-mothers,” he said.

Get the rest of this story at gaydadsaustralia.blogspot.com.

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