Removal of Economic Discrimination
25th November 2008 – removal of economic discrimination meant that same-sex attracted couples had the same rights as straight couples when it came to pensions, deaths or breakdown of the relationship. This was a huge step forward.
Economic Equality
Economic equality was attained when Kevin Rudd became Prime Minister and de facto status became legal for same-sex couples. But we had to go through the process of parliamentary inquiries and walking many kilometres along the halls of parliament, going from one politician’s office to another before economic equality became law.
There was a lot of talk, encouragement and debate with politicians over the right for LGBTQIA+ couples to be identified as couples, regardless of how many years they had been together.
The only negative of this legislation was couples were no longer seen as housemates. If the couple had received benefits, they were now financially worse off. But it was still a huge step forward because it meant couples could be next of kin to each other and receive pensions should a partner die.
But to get as much positive publicity for this, I did quarter-page adverts in national papers, tv adverts, weekly letter writing, we did a submission to the Human Rights Commission, and the commissioner Graham Innes, when being interviewed on the radio mentioned me and called me “a mother from the suburbs”.
Plus, I spoke to the Labor Caucus about the need for change. It was interesting at that meeting; I was with several others who were LGBTQIA+. We were all having a turn at speaking, but when it got to me, they seemed to talk to me for longer than they had the others. Eventually, I said, “It isn’t me you should be talking to, it is the others here at the table” and then the MPs moved to the others.
We also did a national postcard campaign which was very successful.
