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Kevin Rudd Hub



04/19/2007


Labor Calls on Australian PM Kevin Rudd to Approve Marriage Equality

The Victorian Labor Party is pressuring Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to recognize marriage equality, the Sydney Morning Herald reports:

Rudd "Labor's state conference overwhelmingly passed a resolution at the weekend calling for gay and lesbian couples to be given the same rights as heterosexual couples, including the right to state-sanctioned marriage. The resolution, which is supported by state ministers and which attracted cross-factional support, calls on the Federal Government to change the Marriage Act to allow for 'equal access to marriage, regardless of the gender of either partner'. It also urges the Federal Government not to override new laws passed in the ACT that will allow same-sex couples to celebrate their civil union at a legally binding ceremony. 'Victorian Labor believes that people are entitled to respect, equality, dignity and the opportunity to participate in society free from hatred or harassment and receive the protection of the law regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity,' the resolution says. The conference vote puts the Victorian branch of the party at odds with both Mr Rudd and the Premier, John Brumby."

The Age reports: "The Rudd Government intervened last year to ensure ACT laws allowed only for civil union ceremonies with no legal status, and Mr Brumby has said his Government does not support gay marriage."


Australian Capital Territory Okays Same-Sex Unions

Until they are nixed again by Kevin Rudd's government, civil partnerships are again legal in Australia's Capital Territory:

Act "In a long-running case of legal leapfrog, the Australian Capital Territory legislative assembly yesterday amended its civil partnerships scheme to let same-sex couples hold a legally sanctioned ceremony. But the decision, moved by the Greens and backed by Labor after its two previous attempts, appeared to put the territory on another collision course with the Federal Government. Acting federal Attorney-General Brendan O'Connor yesterday signalled no dramatic shift in the federal stance on such laws, which are expected to take effect within weeks.' The passage of these amendments does not change the Rudd Government's clear policy on marriage or about relationship recognition of couples who choose it,' a spokesman said. ACT Chief Minister Jon Stanhope said he was quietly confident the reform would succeed this time. Senior Federal Government legal figures have had little time to focus on the move, given the asylum seeker controversy."

Similar laws have been put out to pasture before:

"Laws allowing gay marriage in the ACT were repealed after federal intervention in 2006, and a second stand-off ensued in 2008 over legal civil union ceremonies for same-sex couples. That was resolved when the assembly backed down and allowed civil partnerships without an official ceremony after it became clear another federal intervention was on the cards. This time, the territory assembly amended its laws on the advice of two leading Queen's Counsels - including the now federal Solicitor-General Stephen Gageler - to answer criticism that the scheme would mirror marriage. The advice suggests that if civil ceremonies were only open to gay couples, and not heterosexuals, it would be clearer that it did not contravene the federal Marriage Act, which by definition only regulates relationships between a man and a woman."


Australian Government Rejects Civil Unions

Rudd

Australian government rejects civil unions: "The Government’s response equated the proposal with same-sex marriage equality, saying the no gay unions policy 'reflects the widely held view in the community that marriage is between a man and a woman'. But the Government confirmed it still intends to recognise and support same-sex families through its community and social inclusion strategies, and convince NSW, QLD, SA, WA and NT to implement relationship registers."

Said Australian Marriage Equality advocates spokesman Peter Furness: "Opinion polls consistently show that a majority of Australians support same-sex marriage, making a nonsense of the Government's stated belief that its policy 'reflects a widely held view in the community'. The Rudd government has shown that its vision for the future is blinkered by prejudices from the past."

Rudd is questioned about same-sex marriage on ABC's Q&A program nearly a year ago, AFTER THE JUMP...

Continue reading "Australian Government Rejects Civil Unions" »


News: Kevin Rudd, Jesus, Christian Siriano, Patrick McHenry, Mariah

road.jpg Clinton advisor Mickey Kantor statement on Indianans unearthed: "Look at Indiana...it doesn't matter if we win. Those people are shit. How would you like to be a worthless white ni**er?" Kantor denies... UPDATE: Director Pennebaker says clip doctored...

Barackhillsroad.jpg Barack Obama pledges to stop fighting between Lauren and Heidi on The Hills.

road.jpg Christian Siriano hosting virtual prom.

road.jpg Australian PM Kevin Rudd signals that he may block a move by the nation's capital to legalize civil unions: "The Prime Minister warned today that he would never agree to gay marriage, which would require amendments to the Marriage Act. The act expressly states that marriage is a union between a man and a woman. While the ACT government, led by chief minister Jon Stanhope, argues its civil partnerships are different to gay marriage, the Government is concerned it too closely mimics marriage. Mr Rudd now holds the power to disallow any ACT laws that he deems to replicate marriage, just as the Howard Government did during its final term. Despite previously arguing it was a matter for the states, the Prime Minister said today that no other state was proposing laws similar to the ACT."

road.jpg Mariah Carey marries Nick Cannon in the Bahamas.

Banksyroad.jpg Banksy, who has curated an underground graffiti exhibition in London in a tunnel which opens tonight, tells Reuters: Creating graffiti "better than sex, better than drugs."

road.jpg Tom Ford makes debut as costume designer for Santa Fe opera The Letter.

road.jpg Massachusetts publishes 120-page anti-bullying guide for schools. Public Health Commissioner John Auerbach: "Our kids deserve to grow up in an environment that is free from harassment and violence. The consequences of bullying can last a lifetime, but all too often it is treated as a rite of passage."

road.jpg Brazilian gymnast takes his talent to the street.

Buckleyroad.jpg Never has a shirt on: Lipstick Jungle's Robert Buckley is the new Matthew McConaughey.

road.jpg Jesus is coming in 2015, look busy.

road.jpg North Carolina congressman Patrick McHenry behaving conservatively.

road.jpg Man charged in killing of Florida gay activist Scott Graham: "A man has been charged with murdering West Palm Beach, Fla., gay rights activist Scott Graham, who was found dead in his home on April 16, The Palm Beach Post reported Wednesday. Ricardo David Fuenes-Valle, 20, was arrested on Tuesday near Tampa by Hillsborough County deputies and U.S. marshals. He is being charged with first-degree murder. Investigators found the suspect on Tuesday after they were told that Fuenes-Valle was planning to rob Graham or burglarize his home to steal jewelry and money, West Palm Beach police captain Pat Maney told the Post. Witnesses said Graham was last seen on April 14 with Fuenes-Valle. 'We don't really have a motive at this point,' Maney said in the article. 'We are working under that assumption.'"


Australia to Offer Matching Rights, Not Marriage, to Gay Couples

Legislation to be introduced next month by the Rudd government will offer gay and lesbian couples a broad new set of rights, the Sydney Morning Herald reports today:

Rudd"The federal Attorney-General, Robert McClelland, will announce today that the necessary legislation will be introduced when Parliament resumes next month for the winter sittings. The measures do not amount to gay marriage; they afford gay couples the same treatment as heterosexual de facto couples in areas such as tax, superannuation sharing and social security...other areas to be reformed include health, aged care, veterans' entitlements, workers' compensation, employment and entitlements. 'In keeping with the election commitment, the changes do not alter the marriage laws,' Mr McClelland said. 'They will make a practical difference to the everyday lives of a group of our fellow Australians who have suffered discriminations under Commonwealth laws for far too long.' All the changes would be operational by the middle of next year; most will begin as soon as legislation is passed."

The legislation is expected to pass through the Senate easily.

Previously
Australian PM Kevin Rudd Says He Won't Overrule Civil Unions [tr]
Australian Voters Reject Howard, Elect Kevin Rudd Prime Minister [tr]


News: Neil Patrick Harris, Hip-Hop, Kevin Rudd, PETA, Zac Efron

road.jpg Australian PM Kevin Rudd presented with first major gay rights challenge of his administration as ACT Chief Minister Jon Stanhope asks him to allow same-sex civil unions.

Portmanroad.jpg Tiny Wookie takes leak on the ruler of the Naboo people.

road.jpg Anti-gay South American Anglican Archbishop defies requests to stay away from Canada: "Archbishop Gregory Venables, who claims to represent 15 breakaway Anglican congregations in Canada, will speak Friday at a gathering in Delta of the conservative Anglican Network in Canada. Venables, who has been criticized as a rogue archbishop by Anglican colleagues in South America and elsewhere, is recruiting Anglican congregations in Canada and the U.S. that have opposed the ordination of homosexuals and the church blessing of their relationships. The primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, Fred Hilz, wrote a public letter to Venables on Monday urging him to stay home and saying that entering his North American jurisdiction 'will further harm the strained relations' between Canadian Anglicans."

road.jpg Ewan McGregor makes light of skin cancer scare: “It was great fun having skin cancer, it was great, I really enjoyed it.”

road.jpg Richard's Quest: The CNN reporter's Central Park thought process flowchart.

road.jpg Zac Efron gives big to cancer patient in the UK.

Nphroad.jpg A night out with Neil Patrick Harris at The Magic Castle: “I’m not the guy who goes to Skybar,” Mr. Harris said. "I’m not good with that random small talk with people I’ll never meet again. I prefer to take a friend somewhere eventful." He also says he's looking forward to welcoming Britney back to his show.

road.jpg PETA offers $1 million prize for test tube meat: "The organization said it would announce plans today for a $1 million prize to the 'first person to come up with a method to produce commercially viable quantities of in-vitro meat at competitive prices by 2012.' The idea of getting the next Chicken McNugget out of a test tube is not new. For several years, scientists have worked to develop technologies to grow tissue cultures that could be consumed like meat without the expense of land or feed and the disease potential of real meat. An international symposium on the topic was held this month in Norway. The tissue, once grown, could be shaped and given texture with the kinds of additives and structural agents that are now used to give products such as soy burgers a more meaty texture."

Hiphoproad.jpg Former MTV executive Terrance Dean promises to out DL players in the hip-hop industry in new book.

road.jpg Investigators suspect gay angle in New Delhi murder.

road.jpg Janet Jackson, who is set to receive a GLAAD award in L.A. this weekend, talks to E!'s Marc Malkin about AIDS, drag queens, Ellen Degeneres, and Lawrence King: "He was finally coming into his own and being himself and being OK with who he was. He was feeling good about that and not living in this shell and pretending to be someone else. He was letting all of that go and saying, 'This is me.' But being murdered for being who you are, for being real—we were crushed by that."

road.jpg Neil Haskell, from So You Think You Can Dance, has joined the New York cast of Altar Boyz.

road.jpg Clay Aiken is Tyra Banks' reward for 500 episodes.

road.jpg ACLU asks Florida judge to reopen case on Okeechobee gay-straight alliance: " The lawsuit was recently dismissed by U.S. District Judge K. Michael Moore after its lead plaintiff Yasmin Gonzalez graduated and the club itself dwindled down to zero members, leading the judge to drop a requirement that the group be allowed to meet while the lawsuit was pending. The lawsuit was initially filed in November 2006 under the federal Equal Access Act after the student group claimed the school district would not allow it to meet at Okeechobee High School. The school district claimed it was banning the club in part because it was a 'sex-based' club and could conflict with abstinence-only education."









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