ADDRESS TO GOVERNOR-GENERAL ON CIVIL UNIONS ACT

The ACT Legislative Assembly will be asked to take the unprecedented step of making an address to the Governor-General over the ACT’s Civil Unions law.

Mr Corbell said the Government will move the address tomorrow asking the Governor-General to consider using his powers under S35 of the Self-Government Act to request amendments to the ACT Civil Unions Act, rather than disallowing it.

“This is a more constructive and appropriate response than the Commonwealth’s arbitrary move to disallow the decision of the ACT’s elected representatives to pass the Civil Unions Act.”

Mr Corbell has also written to the Commonwealth Attorney General Philip Ruddock today asking the Federal Government to reconsider its position and to provide details of its concerns about the ACT legislation.

“The onus is on the Federal Government to tell the ACT what is unacceptable about the Civil Unions Act and how, in detail, it can be amended to address concerns,” he said.

Mr Corbell said the ACT was angry that the Federal Government was interfering with the ACT’s democratically elected parliament and its right to pass legislation.

“We are not trespassing on Commonwealth laws and the Federal Government is restricting the right of the ACT parliament to make laws for the people of the ACT.

“This is of enormous concern to the Government and what is at stake here is the issue of whether or not a democratically elected parliament can make legislation.

“The ACT has the power to make laws in relation to same sex unions and this is what we have done.

“It is incumbent on the Commonwealth to detail its particular objections and detail which clauses should be amended.

“The ACT stands ready to consider changes if the Commonwealth can detail its substantive concerns and can show how these can be addressed.”

Statement Ends/ 7th June 2006

Media Contact: Monika Boogs 6205 0497(w) 0419 423 603(m) monika.boogs@act.gov.au