аЯрЁБс>ўџ 68ўџџџ7џџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџьЅС` №П‰bjbjЫsЫs .$ЉЉ‰џџџџџџЄ€€€€€€€аD0НŒPPPPPPPP<>>>>>>$IhБ*b€PPPPPb€€PPwвввP €P€P<вP<вв€€вPD ЪEԘЦZ в<0Нвлddлвв:л€ 0PPвPPPPPbbШ PPPНPPPP„˜„˜”$Иџџџџ€€€€€€џџџџ Date : 31/05/06 Name : Louise Sensi [Details removed] Submission to the Same Sex Entitlements Inquiry.     Dear HREOC, Thank you for the opportunity to make a public submission to the National Inquiry into discrimination against people in same sex relationships: Financial and Work-Related Entitlements and Benefits.   I am a 26 year old, Registered Division 1 Nurse in a committed Lesbian relationship.  I have been a fulltime employee of the public health system since graduating from University 3 years ago.   I believe that to achieve full legal equality all Federal legislation should have terms such as ‘spouse’, ‘partner’ ‘dependent’ , ‘family’ and ‘couple’ redefined to include same sex partners and, where relevant ,their children. I believe that Commonwealth legal recognition of same sex relationships including families parented by same sex partners would have a positive impact on my relationships, family life, productivity at work and financial security, among all other areas of my life.   I have experienced discrimination in the context of   SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS I have experienced discrimination in the context of social security benefits where the terms ‘partner’, “husband” or “wife”, ‘spouse’ or ‘member of a couple’ does not include same sex couples. My personal experience includes my partner being denied Youth Allowance when her parents kicked her out of home because it was deemed she wasn't living at home by choice.  In order to survive, pay rent and bills and eat, I worked four casual jobs to support my partner and myself while continuing to study part time.   TAX CONCESSIONS I have experienced discrimination in the context of Tax concessions because of being in a same sex relationship. My personal experience includes being excluded from receiving benefits of the Medicare Levy.   HEALTH CONCESSIONS I have experienced discrimination in the context of Medicare and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. My personal experience includes: • Denied access to benefits under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme such as the safety net concession card or pharmaceutical benefit entitlement card because of being in a same sex relationship or have a family as same sex parents. • Lack of access to the Medicare safety-net because of living in a same sex relationship. My partner has suffered with Rheumatoid Arthritis since she was 12 years old.  This is a significant disability and involves many expensive medications, private consultant fees and hospital admissions, which private health insurance will not cover.  It is drastically unfair that as her partner in all things and carer in this area I am not entitled to be included in a shared safety net benefit purely on the basis of sexuality.   Federal law is not alone in its discrimination against same sex individuals, couples and families.  Victorian law has many areas which could be improved for the GLBTI (gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex) community.  Despite the introduction of the Statute Law Amendment (Relationship) Act and the Statute Law Further Amendment (Relationships) Act gave same sex couples legal recognition in a number of areas such as: Inheritance rights, stamp duty exemption, system for division of property, accident and workers compensation, state superannuation, next of kin in some circumstances, protection from discrimination on the basis of marital status and, in some cases, recognition of the parent of a non-biological child.   AREAS OF DISCRIMINATION UNDER STATE LAW THAT AFFECT RAINBOW FAMILIES. A legally recognised parent cannot make a claim for child support against a non-legally recognised parent.   A non-legally recognised parent cannot: • Be placed on the birth certificate • Provide consent to medical treatment for a child • Provide permission to attend a school excursion   A child born into or living with same sex parents cannot: • automatically benefit from the estate of a non-legally recognised ‘parent’ upon the parent’s death if they die intestate (without a will). • Receive entitlement to superannuation benefit of non-legally recognised parent • Receive entitlements to Workcover payment in the event of the death of non-legally recognised parent   I believe that both Commonwealth and State law should, in the words of the Victorian Law Reform Commission, ‘aim to eliminate discrimination against children and parents based on their family type and relationship status’. EMAIL RESPONSE TEXT Yours sincerely   Louise Sensi RN   $56fkvwїј< ? ў  ы ю " % = Ђ Ј :;<>ђфдЦдЖЈдЦ•„•„•„•„•„•„•„q„c„O&hMhS№6CJOJQJ]^JaJhMCJOJQJ^JaJ$hMhS№0JCJOJQJ^JaJ hMhS№CJOJQJ^JaJ$hMhS№0JCJOJQJ^JaJhд:CJOJQJ^JaJhд:0JCJOJQJ^JaJhS№CJOJQJ^JaJhS№0JCJOJQJ^JaJh„!CJOJQJ^JaJhS№CJOJQJ^JaJ$6gikwј= ? џ  ь ю # % > <>N1–З& њЈњњњњњњњњњњњњњњњњњњњњњњњњњњњњњgdS№‰§>Nфх1ЗЙ ЂљАйс‰Яdf‰‹МОю*,ЗЙ oPdsv…†ˆ‰ьлШльлЗЃЗЃлЃлЃльлЗЃЗЃЗЃлЗЃЗЃЗЃл‹xлxлЃthS№$hMhS№0JCJOJQJ^JaJ/hMhS№5B*CJOJQJ\^JaJphџџџ&hMhS№6CJOJQJ]^JaJ hMhS№CJOJQJ^JaJ$hMhS№0JCJOJQJ^JaJ hMhS№CJOJQJ^JaJ&hMhS№5CJOJQJ\^JaJ&ЈЊ‡‰Я:<d‰Мю№*ЗoqPdtv†ˆ‰њњњњњњњњњњњњњњњњњњњњњњјgdS№,1hА‚. АЦA!А"А# $ %ААФАФ Ф†œ@@ёџ@ NormalCJ_HaJmH sH tH DA@ђџЁD Default Paragraph FontRiѓџГR  Table Normalі4ж l4жaі (kєџС(No List4^@ђ4 S№ Normal (Web)*W@Ђ* S№Strong5\.X@Ђ. S№Emphasis6]H™"H M Balloon TextCJOJQJ^JaJ‰$џџџџ џџ"&Ѓ џџ"&ЃW ‰0$6gikwј=?џью#%><>N1–З& њЈ Њ ‡ ‰ Я :<d‰Мю№*ЗoqPdtv†ˆ‹r "5r "5r "5r "5r 0Шr 0Шr ?`r ?`r ?`r ?`r ?`r ?`r ?`r ?`r ?`r ?`r ?`r ?`r ?`r ?`r ?`r ?`r ?`r ?`r ?`r ?`r ?`r ?`r ?`r ?` r ?`r ?`r ?`r ?`r ?`r ?`r ?`r ?`r ?`r ?`r ?`r ?`r ?`r ?`r ?`r ?`r ?`r ?`r ?`r ?`r ?`r Ќ$6gikwј=?џью#%><>N1–З& њЈ Њ ‡ ‰ Я :<d‰Мю№*ЗoqPdtv†ˆ‹˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€€$6gikwј=?џью#%><>N1–З& њЈ Њ ‡ ‰ Я :<d‰Мю№*ЗoqPdtv†ˆ‹hЫ0€hЫ0€hЫ0€hЫ0€hЫ0€hЫ0€hЫ0€hЫ0€hЫ0€hЫ0€hЫ0€hЫ0€hЫ0€hЫ0їhЫ0€hЫ0€hЫ0€hЫ0€hЫ0їhЫ0їhЫ0їhЫ0їhЫ0їhЫ0їhЫ0їhЫ0їhЫ0їhЫ0їhЫ0їhЫ0їhЫ0їhЫ0їhЫ0їhЫ0їhЫ0їhЫ0їhЫ0їhЫ0їhЫ0їhЫ0їhЫ0їhЫ0їhЫ0їhЫ0їhЫ0їhЫ0їhЫ0їhЫ0€hЫ0€hЫ0€˜@0€€€0ѕ>‰ Ј‰‰‹‹#566kk??ЂЂ:;ˆ‹‹єS`iеeєS`Kdd€€ хfB„!д:MS№}aєџ@€Л‰`@џџUnknownџџџџџџџџџџџџG‡z €џTimes New Roman5€Symbol3& ‡z €џArial5& ‡za€џTahomaE& ‡ŸCentury GothicY SymbolMTTimes New Roman"ёˆ№аhгІ&гІ&КЯ*ZКЯ*Z!№ ДДr4d__2ƒ№ШX)№џ?фџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџS№2џџўџр…ŸђљOhЋ‘+'Гй0d˜ЄАМШдш є  , 8DLT\ф Normal.dot4Microsoft Office Word@@&;ԘЦ@&;ԘЦКЯўџеЭеœ.“—+,љЎ0ј px„Œ”œЄ ЌДМФ Ь йфZ*_Ј  Title ўџџџ ўџџџ"#$%&'(ўџџџ*+,-./0ўџџџ§џџџ3ўџџџўџџџўџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџRoot Entryџџџџџџџџ РFEԘЦ5€1TableџџџџџџџџлWordDocumentџџџџџџџџ.$SummaryInformation(џџџџ!DocumentSummaryInformation8џџџџџџџџџџџџ)CompObjџџџџџџџџџџџџqџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџўџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџўџ џџџџ РFMicrosoft Office Word Document MSWordDocWord.Document.8є9ВqRoot Entryџџџџџџџџ РF@TE=٘Ц:1TableџџџџџџџџлWordDocumentџџџџџџџџ.$SummaryInformation(џџџџ! ўџџџ ўџџџ"#$%&'(ўџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџ9§џџџўџџџўџџџўџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџўџџџўџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџDocumentSummaryInformation8џџџџџџџџџџџџpCompObjџџџџџџџџџџџџqџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџўџ џџџџ РFMicrosoft Office Word Document MSWordDocWord.Document.8є9ВqўџеЭеœ.“—+,љЎDеЭеœ.“—+,љЎ<ј px„Œ”œЄ ЌДМФ Ь йфZ*_Ј  Title4 $€,А