A BILL recognising same sex unions would give homosexual relationships the recognition, respect and dignity they deserve, supporters have told a Queensland parliamentary committee.
Opponents have argued it could be a slippery slope to laws allowing incest or polygamy.
Gay rights advocates backing the legislation introduced by Deputy Premier Andrew Fraser spoke in favour of the bill during a public hearing in Brisbane today.
Alex Greenwich of advocacy group Australian Marriage Equality told the committee it would give couples important legal validity.
“It will provide couples with documented evidence of their relationship, certified evidence of their relationship for next of kin situations and medical emergencies.
“It is important this should not be considered controversial, it just gets Queensland up to date with other states and territories.
“Queenslanders are already accepting of same sex couples, the state should be following public attitudes.”
Derek Cronin, of the Queensland Association for Healthy Communities, said civil partnerships would offer recognition, respect and dignity to couples.
“This bill is not about impeding on religious communities but ultimately this is recognition of what is a loving relationship. As a diverse and sophisticated society I think this should be a non-issue by now.”
Reverend Narelle Oliver, of the Independent Catholic Church of Australia said she would like her holy union with her partner of five years to be recognised by the state.
“We don’t need to be validated by the state but to have the state legally recognise us makes a powerful statement.
“We believe our holy union, although not legal, has give strength to our relationship.
“My sexuality has been described as a preference or orientation. It is not something I prefer, this is inherent in my humanity. The matter of human sexuality is something to which we are born.”
Some church representatives and groups opposing the legislation argued the bill could lead to other unions being recognised.
“If same sex couples can marry simply because they demand that right … why not allow polygamy, or groups of men or women to marry each other, or fathers to marry their daughters?” the head of the National Marriage Coalition Tempe (Tempe) Harvey said.
“… there’s absolutely no reason why you shouldn’t open marriage up to incestuous relationships, any consenting relationships adult relationships, relationships between groups of men, groups of women or whatever.
“The line must be drawn.”
One speaker compared men and women with nuts and bolts to argue against the bill.
“A nut and a bolt go together, they marry,” Family Voice Australia’s Geoffrey Bullock told the committee.
“Two nuts (or) two bolts – no, they don’t, they’re not biologically complementary, and therefore these other unions … can never be the same as a union between a man and a woman.”
Opponents of the bill argued the state government had no mandate to introduce the bill, that there was not enough time for public consultation, and that a bill allowing for civil unions would be a slippery slope to same sex marriage.
It was an unnecessary use of money, some argued, while others took issue with the fact the bill lacked a provision that unions must be for life, like marriage.
They rejected suggestions their views discriminated against gays and lesbians, arguing that de facto couples of either orientation already had the same legal rights as married couples.
The opposition will oppose the bill in parliament, while government MPs have been given a conscience vote.
The bill will be defeated if six Labor MPs vote against it, but Mr Fraser is confident it can succeed.
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