House of Assembly Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3) 51 3 Parliament of South Australia House of Assembly published Bills Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration (Registration of Deaths) Amendment Bill BIRTHS, DEATHS AND MARRIAGES REGISTRATION (REGISTRATION OF DEATHS) AMENDMENT BILL Introduction and First Reading Introduction and First Reading The Hon. I.F. EVANS House of Assembly Davenport The Hon. I.F. EVANS (Davenport) (10:31): Obtained leave and introduced a bill for an act to amend the Births, Deaths and Marriages Registrations Act 1996. Read a first time. Second Reading Second Reading The Hon. I.F. EVANS House of Assembly Davenport The Hon. I.F. EVANS (Davenport) (10:32): I move: That this bill be now read a second time. I will not hold the house long on this matter. This is the reintroduction of a bill that I introduced in the last session of parliament. This bill seeks to change the Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Act 1996 so that the surviving partner of a de facto relationship can have their name registered on the death certificate in the event of the other partner dying. This was brought to my attention by a woman in my electorate, who had been a partner for 15 years, her partner died, and the current act does not allow her name to go on the death certificate. The former wife's name goes on the death certificate and, as this person goes around to change accounts, and the sorts of things you have to do in the event of a death, it puts her through extra embarrassment and stress having to explain the former wife's name being on the certificate and not hers, having been the de facto partner of some 15 years. I think it is a common-sense change and I cannot understand why the government did not support it in the last session. I am hoping that they will take a position of supporting it in this session. Debate adjourned on motion of Ms Breuer.