Andrew Barr

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Wear It With Pride Launch 

I had the great pleaure of launching the "Wear It With Pride" campaign in the ACT at Hush Lounge on Saturday 19 June 2010.

The Campaign celebrates the reform of 85 Federal laws that discriminated against same-sex couples and their families. These historic reforms reward decades of protesting. To celebrate, 85 artists are designing 85 T-Shirts inspired by each reform. 85 influential Australians are wearing these T-shirts with pride, to spread the knowledge across the country.

To find out more visit www.wearitwithpride.com.au

 

Combatting homophobia in schools and sport

The ACT Government will step-up campaigns against homophobia in local schools and on the sporting field.
 
Homophobia impacts negatively on an individual’s self-esteem and can result in a sense of shame, guilt and self-loathing.  Around 10 per cent of young people experience feelings of same-sex attraction while they are at school.  Recent research shows that 60 per cent of same-sex attracted young people experience verbal or physical abuse and that three quarters of this abuse occurs at schools.
 
Sadly the word ‘gay’ is all too often used as a term of harassment in our schools. This makes life even more difficult for young people and compromises their education.
 
More needs to be done by the community and the government to create safer schools and stamp-out this form of discrimination. That’s why I’m pleased to announce today that the ACT Labor Government will develop new campaigns and strategies this year to ensure our schools are free of homophobia and are safer and more supportive of all students.
 
The ACT Government is also determined to stamp-out homophobia on the sporting field.
 
There’s no place for homophobia on the sports ground and I intend to ensure it no longer gets a guernsey. I am today committing ACT Labor to working with sporting organisations to eradicate it.
 
Victoria University research to be published this week shows gay men face considerable barriers to participating in sport. The research finds the most common sports that gay men would like to play but don’t, or feel they can’t are AFL, rugby league, rugby union and soccer. The research also finds that nearly half the gay men surveyed who play mainstream sport were not openly gay, with many saying they feared being judged and abused.
 
In light of this research, I welcome the AFL players’ Association Inclusion and Diversity campaign, which is supported by some of the biggest names in football, including Jude Bolton, Brad Sewell, Joel Selwood and Brownlow medalists Jimmy Bartel and Adam Goodes. The campaign will be launched this month.
 
I congratulate AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou and the AFL Players’ Association for their strong stand against homophobia in football.
 
I hope other sports, particularly the other football codes, will step-up their efforts and follow the AFL’s lead to ensure gay players are not discriminated against.
 
May 2010

Civil Partnerships Amendment Bill

I spoke in support of the Bill the Legislative Assembly debate on November 11 2009. My speech can be found here.

New Federal Labor Policy on Same Sex Couples (August 2009)

Labor believes that people are entitled to respect, equality, dignity and the opportunity to participate in society free of hated or harassment and receive the protection of the law regardless of their sexuality or gender identity.

Consistent with this belief, in 2007 Labor audited Commonwealth laws to identify discrimination against same sex couples. In 2008, laws were passed to remove discrimination from 84 pieces of Commonwealth legislation.

Labor will ensure that all couples whether marriage or de facto do not suffer discrimination.

Labor will take action to ensure the development of nationally consistent framework that provides:

  • The opportunity for all couples who have a mutual commitment to a shared life to have their relationship officially recognised.
  • Equal rights for all couples in federal and state laws.

Labor will review relationship recognition arrangements to ensure national consistently. These reforms are to be implemented consistently with Labor’s commitment to maintaining the definition of marriage as currently set out in the Marriage Act.

Chief Minister Jon Stanhope's Speech to Rainbow Labor - ALP National Conference Fringe Program - 30 July 2009

To complement the formal 2009 Conference program the ALP held a Fringe Program of debates, speeches, seminars and briefings.

The Fringe Program encouraged an alternative and vigorous debate over political and social issues parallel to the Conference.

Overview of the Australian Government’s Same-Sex Couples Law Reforms

Following the Australian Human Rights Commission’s report, Same-Sex: Same Entitlements and an audit of Commonwealth legislation, the Australian Government introduced reforms to remove discrimination to enable same-sex couples and their children to be recognised by Commonwealth law.

The reforms aim to ensure that same-sex couples and their families are recognised and have the same entitlements as opposite-sex de facto couples.

As a result of ensuring that same-sex couples receive the same treatment as opposite-sex de facto couples, the reforms may also impose burdens on some same-sex couples or reduce certain benefits they currently receive.

It is the Australian Government’s view that these reforms are necessary and an essential step towards a fairer and more just society.

The reforms amend 84 Commonwealth laws to eliminate discrimination against same‑sex couples and their children in a wide range of areas, including social security, taxation, Medicare, veteran’s affairs, workers’ compensation, educational assistance, superannuation, family law and child support.

The reforms have a significant impact in the following areas:

Tax

  • The reforms in relation to tax commenced on 1 July 2009
  • The amount of tax people are liable to pay may depend on whether they are (or were) in a relationship, or whether they have dependant children or relatives.
  • The reforms will ensure that same-sex couples are able to access the same tax concessions available to married and opposite‑sex de facto couples.
  • For more information please call the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) on 13 28 61 or visit the ATO’s website

Superannuation

Defined Benefits Superannuation

  • Previously, the same-sex partner of a beneficiary in a Commonwealth (defined benefit) superannuation scheme did not receive direct access to a reversionary death benefit.
  • The changes enable death benefits to be conferred on same-sex partners and the children of same‑sex relationships.

Social Security and Family Assistance

  • The social security and family assistance reforms commenced on 1 July 2009.
  • Same-sex couples are not currently recognised as a couple for social security or family assistance purposes. A person who has a same-sex de facto partner is currently treated as a single person.
  • The reforms ensure that same-sex couples are recognised as a couple. Consequently, a same-sex couple will receive the same rate of social security and family assistance payments as an opposite-sex couple.
  • The reforms made to social security and family assistance also allow for the recognition of children of same-sex couples.
  • For more information please contact Centrelink on 13 62 80 or visit the Centrelink website

PBS Safety Net and the Medicare Safety Net

  • The changes to the Medicare and PBS safety nets commenced on 1 January 2009.
  • Previously, same‑sex couples could not access the Medicare or Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) safety nets as a family.
  • Amendments to the Health Insurance Act 1973 enable same‑sex couples and their dependant children to be recognised as a family for the purposes of the Medicare safety net.
  • Amendments to the National Health Act 1953 allow same‑sex couples and their dependant children to access the PBS safety net as a family.
  • For more information in relation to the Medicare safety net please contact Medicare Australia on 132011 or visit the Medicare Australia website
  • For more information in relation to the PBS safety net please contact the PBS Information Line on 1800 020 613. Further information will soon be available on the Department of Health and Ageing website

Aged Care

  • The reforms in relation to aged care commenced on 1 July 2009.
  • A person who has a same-sex partner is currently treated as a single person under the aged care income and assets tests. Their partner’s income and assets are disregarded. If their partner is still living in the couple’s home, all, part, or none of the value of the home may be included in the assets assessment, depending on each partner’s share in the ownership of the home, and whether the partner is a carer receiving an income support payment.
  • The income test determines whether a person is eligible to pay an income tested fee and, if so, the amount of fee that is payable. The assets test determines whether a person is eligible to pay an accommodation bond or accommodation charge, and, if so, the maximum amount of bond or charge that is payable.
  • Under the reforms same-sex couples will be treated in the same way as opposite-sex couples. This means that a member of a same-sex couple will be taken to have 50% of the total value of the couple’s income and assets. It will also mean that the value of the couple’s home will be excluded in the assets assessment if the person’s partner or dependant child is still living in the home, or if a child of the couple, who is eligible to receive an income support payment, has lived in the home for the past five years. This could lower the accommodation costs paid by aged care residents and increase the level of Government subsidy paid to homes on behalf of some residents.
  • The reforms will result in some current and future residents paying less and some paying more, by way of income tested fees, as their partner’s income will taken into consideration in the income test. If a resident's income tested fee is increased, the level of the Government subsidy paid on behalf of the resident will decrease by a corresponding amount. Income testing continues to be undertaken while residents remain in care.
  • The reforms will also mean that some members of same-sex couples who first enter permanent residential aged care on or after 1 July 2009 may pay a higher accommodation bond or charge.
  • Generally, accommodation bonds and charges for members of same-sex couples who enter care before 1 July 2009 will not be affected by the reforms. However, if a resident moves to a different aged care home and has another assets assessment, the reforms may affect the amount of their bond or charge
  • For more information please call the Aged Care Information Line on 1800 500 853.

Child Support

  • The reforms in relation to child support commenced on 1 July 2009.
  • Changes are being made to the Child Support (Assessment) Act 1989 and Child Support (Registration & Collection) Act 1988 to recognise the new parentage laws for same‑sex couples. Where same‑sex couples separate, they will be able to apply for child support. Decisions on parentage will be based on the changes to the Family Law Act 1975.
  • Applications can be made from 1 July 2009 onwards, even if the couple had children and separated before 1 July 2009.
  • For more information please call 131 272 or visit the Child Support Agency website

Immigration

  • The start dates of reforms to immigration laws have been staggered. Reforms to the Immigration (Guardianship of Children) Act 1946 commenced on 15 March 2009. Reforms to the Migration Act 1958 and the Immigration (Education) Act 1971 commenced on 1 July 2009
  • Changes will be made to the Migration Regulations made under the Migration Act 1958. This will mean that same-sex couples and their children will be ‘members of the family unit’ for visa purposes, in the same way that spouses and opposite‑sex de facto partners and their children are currently included as members of the family unit.
  • Same-sex partners of Australian citizens, Australian permanent residents and eligible New Zealand citizens will be able to apply for the same partner visa as opposite-sex partners.
  • Children of opposite-sex and same-sex couples will be included as members of the family unit of the primary visa applicant.
  • For more information please call 131 881 or visit the Department of Immigration and Citizenship website.

Citizenship

  • The reforms in relation to citizenship commenced on 15 March 2009.
  • Previously, same-sex and opposite-sex couples have been treated differently under the Australian Citizenship Act 2007.
  • The reforms mean that same-sex couples have the same entitlements as opposite‑sex couples. In particular, this will allow the same-sex partner of an Australian citizen to count a period of time spent outside Australia as a period of time spent in Australia for the purposes of meeting the requirements for citizenship by conferral.
  • Reforms also allow for the recognition of children of same-sex and opposite-sex de facto couples where artificial conception procedures have been used, or where approved surrogacy arrangements have been entered into.
  • For more information please call 131 880 or visit the Department of Immigration and Citizenship website.

Veterans’ Affairs

  • The changes in relation to veterans’ affairs allow same-sex couples to access certain entitlements from which they were previously precluded.
  • The changes include the provision of assistance to members of the Defence Force to acquire homes; certain pensions and other benefits becoming available to same-sex partners widows or widowers; and other benefits, including death benefits, becoming available to the children of impaired or deceased Defence Force members or veterans.
  • For more information please call 133 254.
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