Tas couple praise relationship registry
We moved to Tasmania because we wanted a lifestyle change, a career change, and a climate change. But most importantly, it was because Tasmania was very proactive as far as gay rights and relationships were concerned.
We had gone as far as we could in NSW, in terms of getting our power of attorney and securing guardianship.
But Tasmania was different because the government had actually gone so far as to integrate the relationship registry into a lot of their legislation.(For more info)
Religious groups oppose relationship registries
Festival of Light Australia, a family advocacy group, has called on the country’s Prime Minister John Howard to amend the Marriage Act 1961 in an attempt to stop states from allowing same-sex and other unmarried couples from being registered by the Registrars of Births, Deaths and Marriages.(For more info)
Activists lobby for full and equal recognition of Deeds of Relationship in federal law
The way to treat same-sex partners in state registered relationships fairly and respectfully in federal law is simple.
For the purposes of all relationship entitlements they should be recognised in their own right, not as married, de facto, or interdependent partners, but as partners in a registered relationship.(For more info)
Telstra quizzed over recognition of Relationship Deeds
Three gay rights groups have written to Telstra CEO, Sol Trujillo, seeking clarification on the company's new relationship policy.
In the wake of last week's revelations that Telstra recognises same-sex de facto couples for the purpose of company entitlements, Australian Marriage Equality, the Australian Coalition for Equality and the Tasmanian Gay and Lesbian Rights Group have asked Telstra if it also recognises overseas same-sex marriages and civil unions, and Australian registered relationships.(For more info)
Researcher uncovers "a distant ancestor" of Tasmanian relationship registry
In late medieval France, the term affrèrement -- roughly translated as brotherment -- was used to refer to a certain type of legal contract, which also existed elsewhere in Mediterranean Europe. These documents provided the foundation for non-nuclear households of many types and shared many characteristics with marriage contracts.
The model for these household arrangements is that of two or more brothers....But at the same time, many other people, including relatives and non-relatives, used affrèrement.
The effects of entering into an affrèrement were profound....In cases where the affrèrés were single unrelated men, these contracts provide "considerable evidence that the affrèrés were using affrèrements to formalize same-sex loving relationships".(For more info)
Victoria set to adopt Tasmanian-style relationship registry
VICTORIA'S gay and lesbian couples will have access to the same legal rights as heterosexual couples if the State Government has its way.
Senior Government sources last night confirmed that Premier Steve Bracks — previously wary of the idea — now fully supported a statewide relationship register, and wanted to introduce it as soon as possible — perhaps by the end of this year.(For more info)
