In an overwhelming win, same sex couples in SA have come that much closer to equality.

In an overwhelming win, same sex couples in SA have come that much closer to equality.

In a historic vote held in the early hours last Thursday morning the Legislative Council of South Australia passed the Family Relationships (Parentage) Amendment Bill by an overwhelming vote of 14 in favour to 5 against.

The Bill will now go to the lower house for consideration, and if passed will enable two women in a same sex relationship to be recorded as parents on the birth certificate of their child.

SA is the last State in the country to make this change. Hon Ian Hunter MLC, State Member of the Legislative Council, has lobbied the government to move on this issue and established an inquiry on same sex parenting.

Mr Hunter said, “The overwhelming vote in the Legislative Council is a signal to the government that change is way overdue. I congratulate ‘Lets Get Equal’ – a fantastic gay community lobby group – for their campaign to get this legislation passed and I congratulate Greens MLC Hon Tammy Franks for introducing this Bill on our behalf.”

The “Let’s Get Equal” campaign is a community-based organisation campaigning for equal legal rights for de facto same sex couples who currently suffer discrimination under some 54 pieces of South Australian legislation, ranging from probate through to superannuation and consent to medical treatment.

To get involved or keep informed click here.

image: therainbowbabies.com