CLARIFICATION OF LABOR POLICY ON HOMOSEXUAL RELATIONSHIPS

Many folk have contacted the Australian Prayer Network since the Make it Count 2007 gathering in Canberra last month seeking clarification of Kevin Rudd’s remarks on the issue of homosexual equality in relationships and marriage.

In response to his comments in Canberra he was asked to further clarify his parties position on the subject. The following comments were provided in written form by Mr Rudd in response to those requests for clarification. We include them as a service to our members.”The Labor party is committed to equality for gay men, lesbians and same sex couples and, if elected, will remove provisions which discriminate on the basis of sexuality. That means ending discrimination in the areas of taxation, superannuation, social security benefits, the Medicare Safety Net, immigration, veteran’s entitlements and all other areas (aside from the Marriage Act). All practical, day-to-day discrimination faced by the gay and lesbian communities will be removed from our laws. At the party’s National Conference in May, Labor formally committed to a nationally consistent system of state-based relationship recognition. The scheme will cover a range of non-marital relationships including same-sex relationships, de facto heterosexual relationships and certain carer relationships. These schemes would simply act as a means by which any de facto couple could register their relationship for the purposes of recognition by government. Such schemes are not civil unions or gay marriage. There is no ceremony involved, and they would not come under the marriage power in the Constitution, nor affect the definition of marriage in the Marriage Act 1961 as “a voluntary union entered into by a man and a woman to the exclusion of all others, for life”.

Kind regards,Kevin Rudd

Federal Labor LeaderMember for Griffith”

Source: Australian Prayer Network

http://www.ausprayernet.org.au/

September 26, 2007

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