(Source)

Australia Capital Territory, ACT, was set to move forward with a bill introducing civil unions for same sex couples, but it has been dealt a devastating blow. The Australian PM Kevin Rudd threatened ACT Attorney-General Simon Corbell with a veto, should the territory move forward with the bill.

“We are angry, disappointed and frustrated with the approach of our federal colleagues,” Mr Corbell told reporters yesterday. ”I am sorry that the Federal Government has taken such a limited and … contradictory view of providing for equality before the law for gay and lesbian people.”

Last week, the Australian Commonwealth moved forward to to end discrimination for same sex couples in over 100 federal laws, but has ruled out supporting civil unions nationally, or in any of its territories. 

The Age reports that Mr. Corbell accused the Commonwealth of taking a hypocritical approach to equality for gay couples. “You can’t provide for equality in some areas and say that discrimination exists and yet continue with a hypocritical position on other … matters,” he said.

He also accused the Commonwealth of exercising “undemocratic, 19th century colonial-style” powers in threatening to veto the bill. “We are once again being patronised by our federal counterparts.”

The ACT Government was given the “stark choice” of pursuing the legislation and facing a federal veto or amending it to give gay couples some legal recognition through a registration scheme. He said the scheme would make it easier for gay couples to make use of Commonwealth reforms in superannuation, taxation and social security laws.

A spokeswoman for the Campaign for Civil Unions group, Rebecca Leighton, said the move was a serious blow. ”We’re appalled that the ACT Government has been put in a position of dropping the bill. The (ACT’s) Stanhope Government was elected in 2004 on a platform of introducing civil unions legislation,” she said. 

“We feel the gay and lesbian community deserves better than being told our relationships are second class.”

Mr Corbell, who said the office of Prime Minister Kevin Rudd was “centrally involved” in negotiations with the Stanhope Government over the proposed legislation, accused the Christian lobby of influencing the outcome.