ࡱ> +-,` bjbjss 7$ ,$ $ $ $ $       $h*/ /$ $ D $ $  $  Q   Z0H(HH( LK 6 , // $$ To Whom It May Concern, thank you for the opportunity to comment on the issue of same-sex relationships, entitlements and their impacts. We have been in a same-sex loving relationship of 23 years standing. We both work at [details removed] [a regional university in] New South Wales. As a consequence we are both able to participate in superannuation through UniSuper. It is our only service provider for superannuation. I have received confirmation via the provider, UniSuper, that there is no legal standing for either of us to claim our male "spouse" or partner as the beneficiary of our superannuation. This remains unacceptable and generates financial insecurity. This has been communicated to UniSuper. And the rules on spousal status has not changed. I assume this relates in part to our standing in Australian law. This is unacceptable - particularly so when we are unable to form a union recognised in law in Australia. I believe it is also the case that our relationship remains unrecognised in the superannuation, taxation and general financial domain. We expect there are other areas of entitlements discrimination which we may not be fully aware of and would certainly wish these to end as well. It seems to us that the current state of political, social, legal and indeed economic arrangements in Australia are discriminatory in relation to all same-sex and other non-heterosexual unions and that this appears to be the unstated aim of the current state and federal governments. The consequences of this discriminatory environment is both explict and implicit marginalisation of our relationship and by extension a undermining of the Australian social and ethical fabric. Please understand that we wish implicit and explicit discrimination in entitlements to end immediately. Only in its actual ending, can we be properly considered full citizens of this country, and its equal participants. Sincerely Christopher Macfarlane and Baden Offord  h 3hCJOJQJ^JaJh 3CJOJQJ^JaJ  : ; , - yz 7$8$H$gd 350P:p 3/ =!"#$% @@@ NormalCJ_HaJmH sH tH DA@D Default Paragraph FontRiR  Table Normal4 l4a (k(No ListH@H  Balloon TextCJOJQJ^JaJ z:;,-yz!1!1!1!1!1!1!1!1!1!1!1!1!1!1!1!1!1!1!1!1!1!1!1!1!:;,-yz0000000000000000000000000:;,-yzh0 h0h0h0h0h0h0h0h0h0h0h0h0h0h0h0h0h0h0h0h0h0h0h0h0  8@0(  B S  ?AAT 4 5 6  9*urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttagsplace9*urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttagsStateB*urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttagscountry-region 1 s. / 3@EE88EEp@UnknownGz Times New Roman5Symbol3& z Arial?5 z Courier New5& zaTahoma"h;&;&7{ 07{ 0!r4d2X)? 32Oh+'0d   , 8DLT\ Normal.dot4Microsoft Office Word@F#@\{@\{7{՜.+,0 px  0   Title  !"#$%(Root Entry F*1Table HWordDocument7SummaryInformation(DocumentSummaryInformation8CompObjq  FMicrosoft Office Word Document MSWordDocWord.Document.89qRoot Entry F mgB/1Table HWordDocument7SummaryInformation( .DocumentSummaryInformation8pCompObjq  FMicrosoft Office Word Document MSWordDocWord.Document.89q՜.+,D՜.+,< px  0   Title4 $,