аЯрЁБс>ўџ 68ўџџџ7џџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџьЅС` №П–bjbjЫsЫs 7*ЉЉ–џџџџџџЄюююююююъъъъ і,љљљБГГГГГГ:hЂ–ГюљљљљљГююлШiiiљ ююБiљБiiююi кtЕb“Цъ iБо0i8 R8i8юiHљљiљљљљљГГ_ љљљљљљљdf „f ююююююџџџџ 30th May 2006 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 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 very positive impact on my relationships, family life, productivity at work and financial security, among many other areas of my life. I am a 50 year old (almost !) man who for the past 32 years has lived with my male partner since we were both in high school together. Over those years we have also built up a business which now employs 25 people. In those years we have struggled and battled to quietly build our life together despite enormous challenges from the various inequitable and unjust treatments we have received in the legal recognition of our relationship over those years. As it now stands just about every state has a different legal recognition of our relationship which affects just about every aspect of our business operations. Our superannuation fund refuses to even discuss whether they should rightfully include each of us in our partners superannuation beneficiary instructions. If one of us was to die suddenly the taxation issues involved in settling our estate with its business interests would be horrendous because of the entrenched discrimination in that deceased estate area. We are discriminated against just about every single day in some way or another by the vastly differing interpretations of partner, de facto, dependent, spouse, etc etc etc. across all areas of Government and private enterprise. The last census didn't even provide us with the option of truthfully answering the question asking about our relationship. I can't wait to see this upcoming census which will no doubt still discriminate against us. When we talk to our married friends about some of these problems they simply don't believe some of the stupid outcomes which the current discriminatory definitions create. I suppose that just indicates the Government position that we should be invisible and that we don't really exist. I wouldn't necessarily have a problem with that, except that simple invisibility enshrines discrimination and enforces the view of us as second class citizens without any rights. We have no legal recognition of our relationship in the health care area either and were confronted recently with discrimination when a simple tonsillectomy operation in a hospital meant I could not name my partner as my spouse for next of kin details with the hospital despite sympathy from the nurse concerned. Her helpful statement that "but dear, your next of kin needs to be someone from your family" was really quite insulting. Fortunately we didn't have to deal with what might have happened if the surgery didn't run smoothly. I have recently started thinking about what will happen if or when one of us requires some sort of assisted accommodation or nursing home care and the prospect of that alienation in our elderly years because we will no longer be recognised as a couple is distressing to say the least. Having said that of course that area of enterprise doesn't care about any relationships at all and we would be lucky to even find a nursing home, let alone a sympathetic one ! In fact it would seem that the only organisation which is completely happy to legally recognise our 32 year relationship is Qantas, which is more than happy to treat us as partners when it comes to transfer of frequent flyer points to each other. To say that is a shocking indictment of the state of Governmental recognition of our relationship would be an understatement. I really can't be bothered listening to politicians stuffing around and obfuscating about whether marriage can only exist in a biblically defined structure whilst we are denied what must surely be simple and straightforward recognition of our relationship and our rights. It does not seem to have any impact at all when heterosexual relationships are involved since de facto is used to cover a multitude of too hard relationships for Governmental systems, so there must surely be no reason at all beyond pure and straight forward discrimination that this recognition problem cannot be quickly and simply solved. If it was a problem that prevented parking fines being collected it would be resolved legislatively within a month ! In our workplace if I discriminated against any of our employees by morally objecting and acting against their legally held convictions it would be classed as bullying and I would rightfully be held accountable. Why not Government. It is long overdue that the Government stopped governing in the dark ages and from its prejudiced and religiously jaundiced view of its citizens, and stopped oppressing and discriminating against the richness and diversity of all its subjects, and recognised their right to form committed and sharing relationships based on love and respect. In all my years I have lived a simple, quiet straightforward existence with the person that my heart tells me is the centre of my universe. We have been richly blessed to have experienced together nearly all of life's highs and, mercifully, only a few of its lows. I know in my heart that God has chosen for some strange reason to put the two of us together in a union of our souls, and I can only be humbly thankful for that wonderful experience. For Government, and therefore all other organisations hiding behind its ineptitude, to continue this hurtful and vexatious discrimination against us is immoral. I sincerely hope it can stop this oppression and discrimination within my lifetime. Yours sincerely [Name Withheld]  | } ьэƒ„Ž‘’•–ђрђвФвЖвЖвЈšŒšЈвˆhр}hbXєCJOJQJ^JaJh+ЎCJOJQJ^JaJhcBСCJOJQJ^JaJhюwЊCJOJQJ^JaJhьUCJOJQJ^JaJh”gCJOJQJ^JaJ#hxзhxзCJH*OJQJ^JaJhxзCJOJQJ^JaJžуфхЩ Ъ з и Ў Џ ž Ÿ ? @ м н ЉЊghіііііііііііііііііііііііііііі 7$8$H$gd”g–§:;RSpq!#™šЊЋvw_`ЖЗРСxyіііііііііііііііііііііііііііі 7$8$H$gd”gopq‚ƒ“”•–ііііііііііє 7$8$H$gd”g 50P:p”gАа/ Ар=!А"А# $ %ААаАа а†œ@@ёџ@ NormalCJ_HaJmH sH tH DA@ђџЁD Default Paragraph FontRiѓџГR  Table Normalі4ж l4жaі (kєџС(No ListH™ђH +Ў Balloon TextCJOJQJ^JaJ–*џџџџžуфхЩЪзиЎЏžŸ?@мнЉЊgh  : ; R S p q !#™šЊЋvw_`ЖЗРСxyopq‚ƒ“”•˜˜0€€˜0€€˜0€€€˜0€€€˜0€€˜0€€€˜0€€€˜0€€€˜0€€€˜0€€€˜0€€€˜0€€€˜0€€€˜0€€€˜0€€€˜0€€€˜0€€€˜0€€€˜0€€€˜0€€€˜0€€€˜0€€€˜0€€€˜0€€€˜0€€€˜0€€€˜0€€€˜0€€€˜0€€€˜0€€€˜0€€€˜0€€€˜0€€€˜0€€€˜0€€€˜0€€€˜0€€€˜0€€€˜0€€€˜0€€€˜0€€€˜0€€€˜0€€€˜0€€€˜0€€€˜0€€€˜0€€€˜0€€€˜0€€€˜0€€€˜0€€€˜0€€€˜0€€€˜0€€€˜0€€€˜0€€€˜0€€€˜0€€€˜0€€€˜0€€€˜0€€€˜0€€€˜0€€€˜0€€˜0€€€˜0€€€˜0€€€уфхh  : ; opq‚ƒ“”•˜j‹0€j‹0€j‹0Œ“Ёh‹0 €h‹0 €j‹0д Њh‹0 €h‹0 €h‹0 h‹0 j‹0 ”+0h‹0 h‹0h‹0€h‹0€h‹0€h‹0€h‹0€h‹00І–––№8№@ёџџџ€€€ї№’№№0№( № №№B №S №ПЫџ ?№˜˜хх|}ь э ƒ’•˜˜ х ”gьU(;VГCnр}юwЊ+ЎcBС$ЦxзbXєіMќџ@–@@џџUnknownџџџџџџџџџџџџG‡z €џTimes New Roman5€Symbol3& ‡z €џArial?5 ‡z €џCourier New5& ‡za€џTahoma"ёˆ№аhГƒІІч›І&… *… *!№ ДДr4dŠŠ2ƒ№HX)№џ?фџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџ”g2џџBy Email: samesex@humanrightsKate Fitzgerald Emily Grayр…ŸђљOhЋ‘+'Гй0˜ˆРиф№ $ D P \hpx€ф By Email: samesex@humanrightsKate Fitzgerald Normal.dot Emily Gray6Microsoft Office Word@вIk@Rtv‘Ц@ВNЊb“Ц…ўџеЭеœ.“—+,љЎ0 hp˜ Ј АИРШ а њфHuman Rights Commission* ŠЈ By Email: samesex@humanrights Title ўџџџ ўџџџ"#$%&'(ўџџџ*+,-./0ўџџџ§џџџ3ўџџџўџџџўџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџRoot Entryџџџџџџџџ РFKwЕb“Ц5€1Tableџџџџџџџџ8WordDocumentџџџџџџџџ7*SummaryInformation(џџџџ!DocumentSummaryInformation8џџџџџџџџџџџџ)CompObjџџџџџџџџџџџџqџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџўџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџўџ џџџџ РFMicrosoft Office Word Document MSWordDocWord.Document.8є9ВqRoot Entryџџџџџџџџ РFадLЁh–Ц;1Tableџџџџџџџџ8WordDocumentџџџџџџџџ7*SummaryInformation(џџџџ Д ўџџџ ўџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџ:§џџџўџџџўџџџўџџџ9џџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџўџџџўџџџџџџџ ўџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџА ўџр…ŸђљOhЋ‘+'Гй0„ЈА8x@Hи` ьј P p X (0 hф By Email: samesex@humanrights Normal.dot1Microsoft Office Word… DocumentSummaryInformation8џџџџџџџџџџџџ€CompObjџџџџџџџџџџџџqџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџўџ џџџџ РFMicrosoft Office Word Document MSWordDocWord.Document.8є9ВqўџеЭеœ.“—+,љЎDеЭеœ.“—+,љЎL hќpx€ˆ ˜ Ј А мф* ŠЈ  By Email: samesex@humanrights Title 4 $€,А