Kim Beazley declares support for homosexual relationships

Completed - Report from 2001

Mr Beazley is no longer the Leader of the ALP.

In one of his strongest endorsements of homosexuality and homosexual relationships to date, Kim Beazley stated on Friday 24th August "I reckon it's a reasonable thing... [that] all the normal laws that apply to the operation of couples, for things like superannuation arrangements, to give recognition to gay couples". He also said "I think that it is a reasonable thing to do, to give recognition to the fact that there is a relationship there". (source AAP. Click here for the full AAP )

This endorsement followed hard on the heels of Mr Howard saying he did not support same sex marriage.

Clearly this is becoming a 'policy-on-the-run' situation as we head towards a federal election. If Mr Beazley was to win a federal election he can now claim that voters supported same sex couples and move quickly with federal recognition in the same way Mr Bracks has in Victoria and the new Labor government are doing in WA.

This clear distinction between the two major parties at a federal level was demonstrated last year over IVF for lesbians when Mr Beazley supported lesbians having access and Mr Howard opposed it. More recently the Howard government also recently refused to recognise same sex couples under new superannuation guidelines.

If, after the next election, the Democrats held the balance of power in the Senate - with a Labor lower house government - one would have to ask "how long before formal recognition of homosexual marriage (a Democrat Policy) would be passed in Canberra?" (From E-News 27/8/2001)

ACTION

Write to Mr Beazley. Ask him not to promote the acceptance and legal recognition of homosexual relationships.

Address: Parliament House, Canberra, ACT 2600.
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Peter Stokes