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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2012-10-18 Daily Xml
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CIVIL PARTNERSHIPS BILL

Introduction and First Reading

The Hon. R.B. SUCH (Fisher) (10:32): Obtained leave and introduced a bill for an act to provide for the registration of civil partnerships; to make related amendments to the Family Relationships Act 1975 and the Acts Interpretation Act 1915; and for other purposes. Read a first time.

Second Reading

The Hon. R.B. SUCH (Fisher) (10:32): I move:

That this bill be now read a second time.

I am introducing this bill at the request of a couple who happen to be a same-sex couple but who want this particular option available to them. This is not a same-sex provision, and members should not conclude that because I am introducing this I am necessarily opposed to same-sex marriage—I am not—but this is a specific request. The people who have requested it contacted my office again yesterday, and they are very keen that this matter progress through parliament.

This arrangement is for two adult persons who are in a relationship as a couple and who meet the eligibility criteria, irrespective of their gender, to register their relationship as a civil partnership. So it does not only apply to people of the same sex but it can apply to heterosexual couples as well.

The bill clearly sets out the process. People can enter into this arrangement if they are not already married or not in another civil partnership. There are some exclusions. You cannot enter into a civil partnership under this bill (proposed law) if—and I will just read from Section 4(3):

A person may enter into a civil partnership if (and only if)—

(a) the person is not married or in another civil partnership; and

(b) the person does not have any of the following relationships (a prohibited relationship) with the person's proposed civil partner:

(i) 1 is the lineal ancestor or lineal descendant of the other (even if the relationship is traced through an adoptive parent);

(ii) they have a parent in common (including an adoptive parent of either or both of them); and

(c) the person or person's proposed civil partner lives in South Australia.

So, in other words, there are some exclusions there. They are not allowed, obviously, to enter into a civil partnership if they already have one, if they are already married, and so on.

The rest, I think, is essentially procedural and can involve court orders. It is not meant to address discriminatory provisions, other than, I guess, the fundamental one that people cannot currently access this arrangement in South Australia. I do not think I need to spend a lot of time. It is a very brief bill. I think members can read it readily themselves. There is a registrar provision; that is, the registrar of births, marriages and deaths. It is a fairly simple measure, and I do not see why people who want this arrangement should be denied it. I commend this bill to the house.

Debate adjourned on motion of Mr Sibbons.

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