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Personal stories: guide for submissions 1. The Commission encourages the submission of personal stories that describe: (a) situations where members of a same-sex couple have been denied financial or employment-related entitlements or benefits that are available to people in heterosexual relationships (married or de facto) because of Australian laws (b) the impact on same-sex couples, and any…

Changing the definitions describing de facto relationships in relevant federal laws could help end daily discrimination suffered by more than 20,000 same-sex couples in Australia, according to a report by the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC), tabled in Federal Parliament today.

The Same-Sex: Same Entitlements Inquiry was launched by the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC) in April 2006. The final report of the Inquiry was completed in May 2007 and transmitted to the federal Attorney-General.

The following is a summary of the findings and recommendations made in the full report. It substantially represents the content of Chapter 18 of the full report of the Same-Sex: Same Entitlements Inquiry.

1. The federal government should amend the discriminatory laws identified by this Inquiry to ensure that same-sex and opposite-sex couples enjoy the same financial and work-related entitlements.

The following 58 laws must be amended to eliminate discrimination against same-sex couples and their children in the area of federal financial and work-related entitlements.

Photos of the Launch Hon. John von Doussa QC, President HREOC Grame Innes, Human Rights Commissioner Susan Everingham Peter Fitzsimons Fran Kelly People at the Launch

Today marks the beginning of a process that seeks to bring about the elimination of discrimination against same-sex couples in Australia in accessing financial entitlements and benefits - benefits that heterosexual couples take for granted in a democracy such as ours.

When I was a kid, I thought that, when I grew up, I might l like to be an astronaut or an actress, or a lawyer fighting for clients on death row. It changed by the season. But at no point, that I can remember, did I want to grow up to be gay.

In October 2010, the Australian Human Rights Commission (the Commission) launched a consultation regarding the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex (LGBTI) people in Australia. This consultation process sought views from affected individuals and organisations about the steps that they felt would provide better human rights protection for LGBTI people in Australia.

On 1 October 2010, the Commission released a Research Paper and a Discussion Paper informing participants of the current legal protections from discrimination and providing questions for response.

The consultation invited comments on the potential benefit of federal laws protecting people from discrimination and harassment. Overwhelmingly, participants argued that introducing such protections would result in significant benefits for the Australian community as a whole. A small number of participants argued that there would be no benefit from these protections.

The consultation was directly concerned with how protection from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation might be included in federal law. Section 6 above outlines what the consultation heard about the benefits of these protections. This part outlines:

The consultation was directly concerned with how protection from discrimination on the basis of sex and/or gender identity might be included in federal law. Section 6 above outlines what the consultation heard about the benefits of such protections. This part outlines:

During the consultation, the Commission received a number of comments regarding exemptions from potential federal protection from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and sex and/or gender identity. Many participants who supported new protections from discrimination argued that there should either be narrow or no exemptions at all. Some participants, particularly those affiliated…

The consultation received a number of suggestions about other ways in which the Australian Government could protect the human rights of LGBTI people in Australia. Many participants argued that while anti-discrimination legislation is an important step towards equality, it is essential that it is accompanied by other actions. Suggestions were often informed by personal experiences of…

Equality for people of all sexual orientations and sex/and or gender identities is supported by international human rights agreements which Australia has agreed to observe. Taking steps to achieve such equality is the responsibility of the federal government. For this reason, the Commission is particularly pleased by the Government’s commitment to introduce federal protections from…

‘A reference in this Part to a person being transgender or a transgender person is a reference to a person, whether or not the person is a recognised transgender person:

Briefing paper Outlines and evaluates the state and territory laws. The paper describes the impact of the laws and provides a summary of criticisms made by others.

The Department of Immigration and Citizenship welcomes this most recent report of inspections of its immigration detention facilities by the Human Rights Commissioner.