Page 5743 - Week 15 - Thursday, 10 December 2009

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national government, for gay and lesbians that should be replicated throughout the whole of Australia. I think that we will now see that progressively occur—or at least I hope it does, and I hope it is not too wild an ambition.

With our national government now supporting this level of recognition—a significant level of recognition—of a legislative framework for the recognition of gay and lesbian relationships, we have created a new, significant level of understanding and a degree of recognition through that recognition and respect that I hope the rest of the nation will follow.

I congratulate most particularly my colleagues Simon Corbell and Andrew Barr, and, indeed, Shane Rattenbury and the Greens, for their leadership and support on this issue.

MS HUNTER (Ginninderra—Parliamentary Convenor, ACT Greens) (5.25): Just following on from my colleague’s speech, let me say that this has been a tough decision for us as far as having to take a small step back is concerned. But the argument has been put up by a number of speakers this afternoon that this is also a significant step forward.

When the Greens brought this bill back in several weeks ago, there were many who said that it would not be successful, that it was a waste of time; it had been knocked back many times before. We feel that it is important to keep going with issues that are about justice, about fairness, about decency. Therefore, we felt that the timing was right to bring it back into the Assembly. I pick up on the points that Shane raised about social change usually coming about not by revolution but by evolution. That certainly is the case here. We have taken some of those steps forward.

Over the last few weeks, I have been approached by many people in the gay and lesbian community, many of them my friends. There are different views, but the overwhelming view put to me concerned the importance of recognising and respecting same-sex relationships—that they are as valid, as loving, as nurturing and as caring as heterosexual relationships. This is something that the Greens have held dear and know is the case. They have pushed on it for many years. It has been part of a platform that we believe is the right way to go.

I would like to acknowledge the leadership that has been shown by the government, but also to acknowledge the leadership that has been shown by the Greens here in the ACT and federally. It is going to be interesting to see how the amendments to the Marriage Act go at the federal level. I think we have some idea of what might happen there, but again it is not about saying, “It is going to fail, so we are not going to try.” Social change is about being tenacious; it is about persistence. It is about keeping going even when you know that there are many obstacles in front of you.

I am pleased that there will be many couples who will be able to take advantage of the ceremonies that will now be available here in the ACT. I wish them well.

I certainly do not see this as the final chapter in this particular legislative story. We will continue. I do encourage Tasmania to take this step. I certainly am very confident that after the election early next year, Greens will hold the balance of power in the


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