Same Sex: Submissions

DATE: 30 May 2006

NAME: Mr Shaun Miller

Submission to the Same Sex=Same Entitlements Inquiry.

Dear HREOC,

Thank you for the opportunity to make a public submission to the National Inquiry into Discrimination against People in Same Sex Relationships: Financial and Work-Related Entitlements and Benefits.

Please note that my submission can be made public.

I am a 39 year old lawyer and have been in de facto relationship with my partner for over 7 years - my partner happens to be the same-sex as I am.  We live together in a house that we own together and support each other financially and emotionally. 

I believe that to achieve full legal equality all Federal legislation should have terms such as 'spouse', 'partner' 'dependent' , 'family' and 'couple' redefined to include same sex partners and, where relevant, their children.

I believe that Commonwealth legal recognition of same sex relationships including families parented by same sex partners would have a positive impact on my relationships, family life, productivity at work and financial security, among other areas of my life.

Any federal law that treats a same-sex de facto relationship any differently to an opposite-sex de facto relationship (or for that matter marriage) is patently discriminatory and should not be the case in this day and age.

P.S. I also pay (a lot of) tax and vote (so all politicians should keep that in mind too).

Yours sincerely

Shaun Miller

Senior Associate

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