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The Greens this week vowed to fight for civil unions in the ACT following the state Attorney-General Simon Corbell’s acceptance of the Rudd government’s recommendations to remove the ceremonial aspect from the ACT Civil Partnerships Bill last week.
Dr Deb Foskey, ACT Greens Member for the Legislative Assembly, announced that she will introduce legislation that legally recognises civil union ceremonies in the state.
Foskey criticised the ACT Labor government of “backing’ down” on the legislation.
Foskey, who will present a petition of 711 signatures to the state government, said if Rudd vetoes the Greens’ legislation, he will have to formally justify the disallowance.
“Prime Minister Rudd hasn’t told us yet why he won’t support civil union ceremonies,” she said, adding that she suspected Rudd had deals with conservative Christian groups.
Before the federal intervention, ACT Chief Minister Jon Stanhope said on the 7.30 Report that “we won’t compromise on the position we’ve put to this electorate”.
Victorian Greens GLBTI spokersperson Sue Pennicuik confirmed that her party will also continue to push for same-sex marriage, adoption and IVF rights. “If we do not … then we are not fair dinkum about equality,” she said in a statement.
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