UnCivil speakout

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Yesterday I attended a rally organised by the QUT Queer Collective. Two members of the QUT Queer Collective had their relationship recognised under British law to protest the ongoing refusal of queer rights in Australia.

I'm disappointed that we still have to have these events. The recent HREOC report clearly shows that we have unacceptable economic discrimination based on sexual preference. Following the report, Labor have committed to removing legal discrimination on entitlements.

The problem is, this goes nowhere near far enough.

At the rally yesterday, Andrew Bartlett pointed out that both the Coalition and Labor still refuse to support gay marriage. Both the Coalition and Labor continue to support discrimination based on sexual preference that is pervasive and dangerous to our society, and particularly to those against whom it is targeted.

Bartlett echoed the statements he made during debate three years ago when a law banning gay marriage was passed with bi-partisan support.

We need to do three things (The Coalition has refused to do any; Labor suggests that it will do only one):

• Immediately remove legislated economic discrimination, as highlighted by the HREOC report;

• Remove all other legislated discrimination – including the ban on same sex marriage; and

• Keep working to reduce and overcome discrimination in society generally. Removing legislated discrimination is only half of the solution to removing the extremely dangerous discrimination that exists in Australia today.