[offering support]Site created: 16 Oct 2002 Last updated: 06 May 2003
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EQUAL RIGHTS FOR GLBTI PEOPLE - GETTING IT RIGHTThe ACT Government is actively looking at issues relating to equality for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex people. It is up to all of us (yes, that means YOU - GLBTI people and families and other friends and supporters) to make sure that this work continues and delivers good outcomes.
Please take the time to make at least some effort. Don't sit back - the buzz is that so far the anti-GLBTI lobby is making far more noise than the GLBTI communities and their supporters. Chief Minister Jon Stanhope recently stated that the government had received 10 communications opposing the reforms for every supportive one! Don't let the government think this reflects the views of the ACT population. Having your say can be as simple as sending a pre-written email - but the more effort you put in the more impact it will have.
To find out what you can do, and why law reform is needed, read below under the following headings
- What is wrong with the law right now?
- What is going to happen now?
Please pass this information on to all your supportive family, friends and workmates and personally ask them to take the time to show the government they support these reforms. We need their support too.
WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE LAW RIGHT NOW?
Did you know?...
- A same sex couple cannot adopt a child (but single people can).
- The law treats a lesbian couple who use artificial insemination to get pregnant differently to straight couples. This means their children do not have the same rights as children born to straight couples.
- Private schools receiving substantial taxpayer funds are allowed to deny access to GLBTI people on religious grounds.
- A same sex partner is not entitled to death benefit under the Workers Compensation Act if their partner dies from a work-related injury.
- Employers can lawfully discriminate against a person on the grounds of their sexuality if the job involves caring for children in a residential situation.
- The protection against discrimination provided to transsexual people by the Discrimination Act does not extend to transgender people who have not undergone sex-reassignment surgery
- A murder charge can be reduced to manslaughter on the basis that the killing was "provoked" by the victim making a non-violent homosexual advance towards the killer.
- There is no way for same-sex couples to 'register' their relationships and make sure that they are legally recognised as a couple (as straight couples can through marriage).
- There are very few education and support programs to take specific account of GLBTI issues and needs.
If you think any of these things should be changed, keep reading - or skip to the section "What has happened so far" if you want to know more about the current law reform process...
- Send letters and emails to Members of the Legislative Assembly to let them know you support GLBTI people having equal rights. See the Section below on "Sending letters and emails".
- Attend the Legislative Assembly at 3.30pm on 8 May for the tabling of the Government's Report on GLBTI issues and show your support by wearing a rainbow ribbon or badge (we'll have some ribbons available on theday). The time might change at short notice. You can ring the Legislative Assembly on 02 6205 0439 on the day to check.
- Be prepared to take action following the Government Response, including telling your personal stories of discrimination if that is possible. Stay tuned for further information following 8 May.
- Spread this information broadly to GLBTI people and family, friends and other supporters - encouraging them to help as described above.
- Keep a lookout for petitions at places like Cube and Tilley's over the next few months.
- Join the Good Process update email list to ensure you receive information about further developments and things you can do to help in the future. To do this send an email to good_process_act@hotmail.com and ask to be put on the update list.
- Get more actively involved by joining the Good Process Working Group. To do this send an email to good_process_act@hotmail.com and ask to join the working group.
- Personally written letters are best (especially handwritten). Here are some samples.
- But, if all you have time for is a form letter cut and paste the "Sample email you can send now" into a letter or email.
- If you want some ideas to help you write your own letters check out some sample letters on our website http://www.nwjc.org.au/good_process_act
Personal touches are powerful - saying that you want your child or friend to have equal rights - or telling them about how you or your loved one has suffered through discrimination.
- The more letters or emails you have time to send the better - but if you can only do one make sure you send it to the Chief Minister, Jon Stanhope. If you only have time for a few send them to the government (Labor) members or the members who represent your electorate. If you are not sure what electorate you are in, information is available at http://www.elections.act.gov.au/Elecrate01.html
- The MLAs are
Ginninderra
Jon Stanhope (ALP) (Chief Minister) - stanhope@act.gov.au
Wayne Berry (ALP) (Speaker) - berry@act.gov.au
Roslyn Dundas (Democrats) - dundas@act.gov.au
Vicki Dunne (Liberal) - dunne@act.gov.au
Bill Stefaniak (Liberal) - stefaniak@act.gov.auMolonglo
Simon Corbell (ALP) - corbell@act.gov.au
Greg Cornwell (Liberal) - cornwell@act.gov.au
Helen Cross (Ind) - cross@act.gov.au
Katy Gallagher (ALP) - gallagher@act.gov.au
Jacquie Burke (Liberal) - burke@act.gov.au
Ted Quinlan (ALP) - quinlan@act.gov.au
Kerrie Tucker (Greens) - tucker@act.gov.auBrindabella
Jon Hargreaves (ALP) - hargreaves@act.gov.au
Karin MacDonald (ALP) - macdonald@act.gov.au
Steve Pratt (Liberal) - pratt@act.gov.au
Brendan Smyth (Lib) (Opposition Leader) - smyth@act.gov.au
Bill Wood (ALP) - wood@act.gov.au- A snail mail address you can use for all MLAs is GPO Box 1020 CANBERRA ACT 2601.
- Make sure you put your address (or at least your suburb) on your letter so that the government knows you live in the ACT.
- If you have time CC us a copy of your letter, or send us an email at
good_process_act@hotmail.com so we have an idea how many letters are being sent.If all you have time for is a form letter then cut and paste the text below into an email or letter. You could also use this as a starting point and change it or add in a comment about some issue that you are particularly passionate about or a comment about how discrimination
affects you personally."Mr Jon Stanhope MLA
Chief Minister of the ACT
GPO Box 1020
Canberra ACT2601Dear Mr Stanhope
I am writing to express my support for the important work the government is doing in addressing discrimination against gay, lesbian, transgender and intersex people in the ACT. I believe that all people are entitled to equality before the law and to be treated with respect and dignity in the everyday lives, regardless of their sexuality or gender identity.
I understand that to date the government has received more
representations against such reforms than in favour of them. Please do not interpret this as reflecting the underlying views of the ACT community. If anything, the activism of those opposed to equality amplifies the need for further action to address this discrimination.I urge you to ensure that the government removes all discrimination
against GLBTI people from ACT laws and is proactive in developing programs and policies that address the discrimination faced by GLBTI people in our community.Yours sincerely
[put your name]
[put your address or suburb]
[put the date of the email or letter]"
In December 2002 the ACT Government took two significant steps following a review of ACT legislation to identify provisions that discriminate against GLBTI people
- A package of legislative amendments to address changes seen as more straightforward was introduced and subsequently enacted. Broadly, this modifies a range of legislation to replace definitions such as "spouse" and "de facto spouse" with the more encompassing notion of a "domestic partnership". Also, it provides for a transgender or intersex person who is to be body searched to choose whether a man or woman is to
undertake the search. For more information, see the Legislation (Gay,Lesbian and Transgender) Amendment Act 2003 at http://www.legislation.act.gov.au
- An Issues Paper to stimulate community debate on changes seen as more complex or controversial was released. It raises matters such as those outlined in "Examples of inequality" above and is available at
Good Process was formed in October 2002 in response to the Government's commitment to consider legislative and policy reforms to effect equality
for GLBTI people in the ACT. We aim for reforms that achieve the best possible outcomes for all GLBTI people. We do not purport to represent the views of all GLBTI people and aim to communicate to the government the diversity of views presented to us. We were instrumental in securing a number of key amendments in the first package of legislative amendments and provided a comprehensive submission in relation to the issues paper, available at http://www.nwjc.org.au/good_process_actThe Government response to the submissions made against the issues paper is to be tabled in the Legislative Assembly on 8 May 2003. We hope that the government will introduce further amending legislation later this year but do not know at this stage what areas of discrimination that legislation will address.
We need to make sure that the momentum for change does not slow at this point. While the work to date should be applauded, there is still more to be done, as outlined above under the heading "What is wrong with the law now?". Supportive Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) could easily form the view that they have done enough if we do not put energy into pressing them to do more. Good Process will be continuing to lobby the government after the release of the report to encourage them to address all areas of discrimination faced by GLBTI people and to ensure that legislative changes reflect the needs of GLBTI people. It is likely that we will conduct community forums and/or surveys over the next few months to feed into our representations to the government. It is also likely that we will need all of you to sign petitions and write letters on specific issues over the coming months.
If you want to make sure you are kept informed about developments and ways you can help please join the Good Process update list by emailing good_process_act@hotmail.com and asking to be put on the Update list.
If you would like to be more actively involved you can join the Good Process Working Group by sending an email to good_process_act@hotmail.com
and asking to join the working group.Now that you know what it is all about skip back up to "How you can help".
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