Employment:
Issues include denial of promotions, unfair dismissal, harassment, breaches of confidentiality and refusal of overtime and higher duties.
Superannuation:
Most superannuation benefit schemes provide for benefits to a 'spouse' in the event of death or disablement of the contributor. 'Spouse' is generally interpreted as excluding same sex partners.
Compensation:
Same sex partners do not fall within the definition of 'spouse' in most employee compensation schemes.
Leave and other entitlements:
Same sex partners are often denied bereavement leave, carers leave, compassionate leave and travel and transfer benefits because of narrow interpretations of 'family' and 'spouse'.
Education:
There have been documented cases of both teachers and students being victimised because of their sexual orientation.
Accommodation:
Gay men and lesbians have been denied access to housing by landlords and/or estate agents on the basis of their sexual orientation.
Health:
Gay men and lesbians have been refused treatment because of their sexuality. Gay men in particular experience discrimination on the basis of actual or perceived HIV/AIDS status. Same sex partners are often refused hospital visitation rights or the right to give medical consent.
Age of consent laws:
There is no consistency in the laws of the States and Territories on the age of consent to sex.
Vilification and violence:
Many gay men and lesbians experience physical and verbal abuse. Only NSW offers legislative protection against vilification on the basis of homosexuality.
Recognition of same sex relationships:
Immigration is one area where there has been some progress in the recognition of same sex relationships. Gay men and lesbians can now sponsor their same sex partners for immigration. However, despite limited progress the law generally refuses to recognise same sex relationships. In addition to those areas noted above, discriminatory laws continue to apply in areas such as taxation, social security, insurance, family law and intestacy and wills. There is an urgent need for Commonwealth action to outlaw discriminatory treatment to which gay men and lesbians are subjected. In addition to general anti-discrimination prohibitions there is also a need for some legal recognition of same sex and trans-gender relationships. Partnership registration systems in Scandinavian countries provide interesting models for discussion.
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"High and low pressure systems cause the day-to-day changes in our weather." ...Metoffice.......
siggie-reported-by-alarmists..............
