Doug PollardA Gay Christmas List
November 23rd 2008 01:56
Hey, look, I can do this 'blessing' thing, too!!
Santa Kev is on track to deliver my Christmas present: the Omnibus Bill removing the discrimination against same-sex couples identified by the Same Sex: Same Entitlements report. A big thank you to the Australian Human Rights Commission, to the government for keeping its promises, and to everyone working towards equality. But there’s lots of other things on my list for Santa Kev.
Last minute present for 2008: fix up benefits and entitlements. If we’re in a relationship, from July our entitlement will be calculated on our income as a couple. If I’m on benefit and partnered with a high earner, Centrelink will give me less money, or maybe none at all. If we’re both on benefit, we’ll drop to the couple rate. It’s going to be a struggle.
I’m not asking for a continuation of the special treatment we’ve had up to now. Instead, lift everybody’s benefits to a level we can actually live on. We’re with the old people and the disabled and everyone else on this.
The gift you left out this year: private same-sex superannuation. Your reforms only helped 10% of us – those in Commonwealth superannuation schemes. For the 90% of us with private super, you left it up to the funds to decide whether they could afford to treat us equally. We have to ask them if they do, and if they don’t, move our money to one that does – and hope they don’t change their minds later.
Next years BIG present: new anti-discrimination laws. State anti-discrimination laws cover sexuality, but they don’t work very well. I know from experience that under Victorian law it’s very difficult to prove discrimination. The process is slow, complex, expensive, and bureaucratic.
And there’s a huge loophole. You can discriminate against GLBTI people if 'the discrimination is necessary for the ... [offender] to comply with the ... [offender’s] genuine religious beliefs or principles'. Other state anti-discrimination laws contain similar loopholes, though none so obscenely wide.
This legalises discrimination in ‘religious’ schools, universities and hospitals, all paid work arrangements, the provision of goods and services and all other areas covered by the Act, in adoption, employment, medical services, education, training, and housing. All these ‘religious’ businesses – including the well-known food company Sanitarium – are also tax-exempt. It’s OK – and tax-free - to be a bigot, so long as you’re a religious bigot. That can’t be right.
Please fix up Commonwealth anti-discrimination law so that it includes discrimination on the grounds of sexuality, overrides all those confusing state laws, and cuts out the ‘religious’ exemptions.
A little something for the kids: make sure the new national curriculum includes GBLTI issues, for example, in history, culture and sex and relationship classes. We’re sick of being the invisible Australians.
The “Daddy, Daddy, can I please have a pony NOW?” present: marriage. Of which I’ve written more than enough already.
I know this looks pushy. I haven’t even got this year’s present and already I’m asking for 2009. But this way you’ll get my letter before anyone elses!!
Oh, and one more thing. Tell those whingers from the CMST (church, mosque, synagogue, temple) lobby they have to play nice next year or you’ll take away their lucrative tax exemptions and government contracts and give them to somebody who deserves them (hint)!!
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