Source: Sydney Morning Herald, ABC News (Australia), The Age
A major victory is on the horizon in the long battle by gay and lesbian partners in Australia for the same legal and financial rights as de facto heterosexual couples, Sydney Morning Herald reports. Australia's federal government plans to remove inequalities in 100 areas of the law.

But Rodney Croome from the Australian Coalition for Equality says discrimination will not be eliminated until same-sex couples are allowed to marry.

"While this is a very important reform in itself and it'll certainly remove many of the more severe disadvantages faced by same sex couples in Australian today, it's not the end of the matter," he told Australia's ABC News.

The Government says the amendments to end discrimination against same-sex couples will make practical differences, but will not sanction changes to marriage laws.

"The government believes that marriage is between a man and a woman so it won't amend the marriage act," federal Attorney-General, Robert McClelland said.

"But in all other areas that we've identified the issue of discrimination against same-sex couples will be removed."

"We anticipate that the reforms will be all introduced by the middle of 2009."

According to The Age newspaper, McClelland will move swiftly to push through the changes which could cost up to $400 million over four years and are expected to be written into the federal budget on May 13.

The measures afford gay couples the same treatment as heterosexual de facto couples in areas such as tax, pension sharing and social security.

The issue came to a head last year when the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission found discrimination existed in 58 areas of financial and work-related laws.

The High Court judge Michael Kirby highlighted the inequity by publicly complaining that his partner of 38 years, Johan van Vloten, would have no access to Justice Kirby's pension if the judge died before him.

Under current law, if a retired judge in a heterosexual relationship dies before his or her partner, the partner is entitled to 62.5per cent of the judge's pension. But Mr van Vloten would not receive anything because he is not female.

Upon Labor winning government, Mr McClelland instituted his own review of Commonwealth laws which found inequities in 100 areas, many more than uncovered by the commission's report.

Mr McClelland says the changes will also mean children of same-sex couples will be regarded the same as any others in terms of pensions, workers compensation, and other entitlements.

"Sadly our system in Australia hasn't been doing that for children of same-sex couples but these measures will alter that," he said.

The changes will not allow same-sex couples to adopt children, The Age reports. Theh newspaper says that the issue of access to the Family Court for same-sex couples is still being resolved.

Some of the changes would take effect immediately, but many financial laws -- such as social security, tax and veterans' affairs -- would be phased in by mid-2009 according to The Age's report.

But some political roadblocks remain. The changes will have to be passed by the Senate, where a coalition of conservative parties retains its majority until July 1.

Even after then, Labor will need the vote of conservative Christian and Family First senator Steve Fielding and independent senator Nick Xenophon if it cannot clinch Coalition support.

Opposition Leader Brendan Nelson has signalled he backed the principle of removing discrimination against gay couples but has yet to secure formal support from his colleagues.

Full article: Matching rights for gay couples - National | Sydney Morning Herald
Govt excludes same-sex marriage from law changes | ABC News, Australia
Law reforms for gay couples | The Age