ࡱ> #` ?(bjbj\.\. LT>D>DtT T T T B ,,,8,T:-T&bmh-(-L...0040lllllll$nh2q*m p6//p6p6mT T ..m888p6"T 8. . l8p6l88e  i.- E  ,6Ng*kT2m0bmg\q7\qTii\q Ojh0dZ28X3$4L000mm8000bmp6p6p6p6&&&d+$&&&+ T 6T T T T T T  Your reference Melbourne Office 350 Queen St Melbourne VIC 3000 GPO Box 4380 Melbourne VIC 3001 DX 210646 Melbourne VIC t: 03 9269 0234 1800 677 402 www.legalaid.vic.gov.au ABN 42 335 622 126 Our reference TP:TL ( t:03 9269 0246 f: 03 9269 0348 E-mail: tonyel@vla.vic.gov.au  CREATEDATE \@ "d MMMM yyyy" \* MERGEFORMAT 30 October 2006 Mr Graeme Innes AM Human Rights Commissioner Same-sex Inquiry Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission GPO Box 5218 SYDNEY NSW 2001 By e-mail to:  HYPERLINK "mailto:samesex@humanrights.gov.au" samesex@humanrights.gov.au Dear Mr Innes National inquiry into discrimination against people in same-sex relationships I refer to Discussion Paper II dated September April 2006. I attach Victoria Legal Aids comments about the inquiry for your consideration. If you would like to discuss any of our comments please contact me on [details removed] or Tonye Lee Segbedzi (Policy Officer) on [details removed]. Yours faithfully TONY PARSONS Managing Director encl. 1. 鱨վ Victoria Legal Aid Victoria Legal Aid (VLA) is a leading force for social justice. Our mandate is to protect legal rights, with a particular emphasis on the rights of the marginalised and economically disadvantaged. VLA employs 189 lawyers who provide legal services from our 14 offices in metropolitan and rural Victoria. This makes us the largest and most accessible criminal law and family law practice in the state. We also practice in the area of human rights and civil law and provide specialist legal services to children and young people. In 2005-06, VLA provided: 26,318 grants of assistance for legal representation by private lawyers 12,806 grants of assistance for legal representation by VLA lawyers 61,820 duty lawyer services across a range of courts 56,448 legal advice sessions 73,070 legal information services, conducted in 15 languages 672,916 legal education publications (printed and downloaded) family law alternative dispute resolution service. 2. Executive summary VLA supports: the proposed definition of de facto relationship the option 3B definition of parent. Previous submission VLA made a submission in response to the first discussion paper on 20 June 2006. 4. Proposed definition for de facto relationship VLA supports the proposed definition for de facto relationship, ie: 1. 'De facto relationship' means the relationship between 2 people living together as a couple on a genuine domestic basis. 2. In determining whether two people are in a de facto relationship, all the circumstances of the relationship must be taken into account, including any of the following: (a) the length of their relationship (b) how long and under what circumstances they have lived together (c) whether there is a sexual relationship between them (d) their degree of financial dependence or interdependence, and any arrangements for financial support, between or by them (e) the ownership, use and acquisition of their property, including any property that they own individually (f) their degree of mutual commitment to a shared life (g) whether they mutually care for and support children (h) the performance of household duties (i) the reputation, and public aspects, of the relationship between them. 3. No one factor, or any combination of factors, under (2) is necessary to establish a de facto relationship. 4. A de facto relationship may be between a couple of the same sex or different sex. 5. Other options for proving a de facto relationship Option 1: The existence of a statutory declaration signed by either or both of the couple stating that they are, or were, in a de facto relationship. Option 2: If a relationship is registered under section [of the relevant Act], registration is proof of the relationship from that date. The fact that a relationship is not registered in (5) is not relevant to a determination under (2). VLA supports option 2. Marriage can easily be proven by the production of a certificate, regardless of the actual characteristics of the relationship. However, the proposed definition of de facto relationship may give rise to uncertainty in some casesparticularly in less traditional and newer relationships. Registration will assist de facto couples who want formal recognition of their relationship and the legal consequences that arise from it. However, VLA suggests that the legislation should: specify that registration is absolute proof that the relationship meets the definition of de facto relationship specify that where the relationship has been registered, there is no need to satisfy any legislative requirement that the relationship be of a specific duration. Until a registration system is implemented, VLA supports option1 as an interim measure. 6. Interdependency relationship VLA agrees that it is preferable to use the term de facto relationship over interdependency relationship, for the reasons given in the research paper, ie: it may cover an overly broad range of relationships (eg. friends living together) it may create further inconsistencies between federal law and state laws it does not characterise same-sex partners as committed and intimate couples. 7. Proposed options for definition of parent-child relationships Option1: Create a new federal definition of child that includes as a parent or the consenting female partner of woman as a child born through assisted conception. Option 2: Create the new federal definition of child that reflects, in their entirety, the state parenting presumptions for ART children. Option 3: Insert into some or all federal Acts a functional family definition of child. This could be done by utilising the broad purposive definition of child currently in use in a small number of Acts, ie: A child includes a child living with a person as a member of their family, or B a child for whom person acts in the place of parent. Option 4: Insert into all federal Acts a definition of child that includes a child for whom the person has sole or shared parental responsibility as defined by the Family Law Act 1975. Option 5: Option 1 and 4 could be pursued in conjunction. VLA supports option 3B. We agree that the advantage of this option is that it gives very broad coverage, including: children conceived by less formal conception methods the donor father (and his partner) the possibility of more than 2 parents step-parents. However, we suggest that the legislation should include some criteria for assessing whether a person acts in place of a parent, similar to the guidance given for assessing de facto relationships. Relevant criteria for consideration could include, for example, whether the person: lives with the child spends time with the child communicates with the child financially supports the child is responsible for any aspect of the care, welfare or development of the child. One disadvantage of option 3B is that it may not help clarify the status of adults who have not yet formed a relationship with the child. Example scenario: A donor wishes to spend time with his biological child but the biological mother and her lesbian partner do not want him to be involved with the child. Does the donor meet the definition of parent even though he has not yet had an opportunity to act in the place of a parent? What about the donors partner? VLA does not support option 3A as it excludes adults who do not live with the child. Our main concerns about the other options are: option 1 creates inconsistency between federal and state law. option 2 does not cover children born in non-recognition states. both options 1 & 2 do not cover children born through less formal conception methods. Also, they do not cover the donor father (or his partner). option 4 involves the considerable expense and inconvenience of obtaining court orders 8. Further information For further information please contact: Tonye Lee Segbedzi (Policy Officer) Phone: [details removed] E-mail: [details removed]     Mr Graeme Innes AM Victoria Legal Aid -  TIME \@ "d MMMM yyyy" 21 November 2006 Page  PAGE 5 Victoria Legal Aid -  TIME \@ "d MMMM yyyy" 21 November 2006 Page  PAGE 1 "{}   J K M U Z [ o Ͷ||iVC|$hw&h|B*CJmHnHphu$hw&hWB*CJmHnHphu$hw&hb$B*CJmHnHphu"jhw&h|B*CJUphhw&h|B*CJph j(hw&h|B*CJphhw&h|B*ph-hw&h|5B*CJfHphq *hw&h|B*CJfHphq hw&h|5B*CJphhw&h|B*CJph"0CPc{o!3dw# &#$+D -D/0$M ]3 dw# &#$+D /0$gd| dPw# &#$+D /0$gd| dw# &#$+D /0$gd|w# &#$+D /0$gd| d t'<(>(  \ o D E S T d(gdz$Vdgdz$Vddhd, d\!2&#$+D/0$o & ' ( B C D E S T Ƣo[Go'hw&h, 56B*CJ^JaJph'hw&h|56B*CJ^JaJph$hw&h|5B*CJ^JaJph$hw&hz$V5B*CJ^JaJphhw&hdB*CJphhw&h|0JB*CJph(jhw&h|B*CJUph"jhw&h|B*CJUphhw&hz$VB*CJphhw&h|B*CJphhw&h, B*CJph 2 y   Ƶڵ~kZIk8!hw&h\B*CJ^JaJph!hw&h5<B*CJ^JaJph!hw&h, B*CJ^JaJph$hw&h5<5B*CJ^JaJphhw&hz$VB*CJphhw&h|5B*CJphhw&h|B*CJphh>wB*CJ^JaJph!hw&h|B*CJ^JaJph'hw&h|56B*CJ^JaJph$hw&h|5B*CJ^JaJph$hw&h, 5B*CJ^JaJph 2 3   45OP & FdgdPdgdPdddd d(gdz$Vdgdz$V.k3WXlm78 & F 8d^gd 4 & Fdgd2 dgdP & FdgdPWXklq018`aʷݦo\oK7&hw&h Va6CJOJQJ]^JaJ hw&h'>yCJOJQJ^JaJ$hw&h'>y0JCJOJQJ^JaJ$hw&h Va0JCJOJQJ^JaJ!hw&hBFB*CJ^JaJph$hw&h, 5B*CJ^JaJph!hw&h 4B*CJ^JaJph$hw&h>5B*CJ^JaJph$hw&h 45B*CJ^JaJph!hw&h>B*CJ^JaJph!hw&h2 B*CJ^JaJph8`a)cHId([$\$gdj<0d([$\$^`0gdj<d([$\$^gdj<0d([$\$^`0gdj<$0d([$\$^`0a$gdj<HImn\]qruZŴţll[J[J9J9J!hw&hRB*CJ^JaJph!hw&hB*CJ^JaJph!hw&hj<B*CJ^JaJph$hw&hj<6B*CJ^JaJph$hw&hBF5B*CJ^JaJph!hw&hBFB*CJ^JaJph hw&h VaCJOJQJ^JaJ hw&h'>yCJOJQJ^JaJ$hw&h Va0JCJOJQJ^JaJ&hw&h Va6CJOJQJ]^JaJ&hw&h'>y6CJOJQJ]^JaJmn\]UVjk! & FdgdPdgd 4 hd^hgdP & FdgdR hd^hgdR d^gdj<dgdPdgdj<Z[  ")s|!,jkqݻ̪wffffS$hw&h2 5B*CJ^JaJph!hw&h1BB*CJ^JaJph!hw&h2 B*CJ^JaJph!hw&hRB*CJ^JaJph!hw&hj<B*CJ^JaJph!hw&hVB*CJ^JaJph!hw&hB*CJ^JaJph!hw&h{dB*CJ^JaJph!hw&hB*CJ^JaJph!hw&h 4B*CJ^JaJph5Q[jqyprs0 lYlFlFl$hw&hb6B*CJ^JaJph$hw&h }6B*CJ^JaJph$hw&hj<6B*CJ^JaJph$hw&hc6B*CJ^JaJph$hw&h5B*CJ^JaJph!hw&hB*CJ^JaJph!hw&h B*CJ^JaJph$hw&hF5B*CJ^JaJph$hw&h, 5B*CJ^JaJph$hw&h{d5B*CJ^JaJph!opWX:;/ 0 %!3! & Fdgdo2 & F @dgdbdgdcdgdP & FdgdP0 E F I 4!p!!!,";"O"P" # # # ####F$l$t$$$%%9%;%k%l%̻wdSwSwSw̻!hw&hogB*CJ^JaJph$hw&h<*6B*CJ^JaJph!hw&h<*B*CJ^JaJph!hw&h2 B*CJ^JaJph!hw&h ^B*CJ^JaJph!hw&h'B*CJ^JaJph!hw&h|UB*CJ^JaJph!hw&hbB*CJ^JaJph!hw&ho2B*CJ^JaJph!hw&h }B*CJ^JaJph3!4!O"Q"f"""" # #####$$:%;%j%k%%% & Fdgdo2dgdc d^gd<*dgd' & Fdgd|Udgdo2 hd^hgdo2l%%%%%%%%%& &|&&&&&''''')'D'U'a'd'r't'u'w'x'z'{'}'~'''ʷvnjnjnjnje hf5hfjhfU!h>wh>wB*CJ^JaJphh>wB*CJ^JaJph!hw&h5 B*CJ^JaJph!hw&hn(B*CJ^JaJph$hw&hn(5B*CJ^JaJph$hw&h5B*CJ^JaJph!hw&ho2B*CJ^JaJph!hw&h@eB*CJ^JaJph#%|&&&&&'':'V's't'v'w'y'z'|'}'''''' &dP d(gdPdgdPdgdc & Fdgdo2''''''''''''''''''((((()(*(/(0(6(7(8(9(;(<(=(>(?(ξξ񫣫uqm\!hw&hn(B*CJ^JaJphh|h^hs`!0JmHnHsH ujhf0JUmH sH hf0JmH sH hfmHnHujhfUhfhs`!0J5mHnHsH ujhf0J5UmH sH hf0J5mH sH hf0J5CJ mH sH hf5mHnHu hf5jhf5U"'''''':(;(<(=(>(?(dgdP &dP $ 7##(a$ J 0 000&P 1/R :pw&. 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