A bill recognising same-sex civil unions passed through the Queensland parliament on November 30 by a vote of 47 to 40. Labor MPs were given a "conscience vote" on the issue, but only four voted against. The Liberal-National Party opposition voted as a bloc against the bill. Most independent MPs also voted against the bill.
Premier Anna Bligh told parliament: “The bill that is before the parliament is a bill that seeks to strike a blow against prejudice and strike a blow against discrimination." The private member's bill, moved by Deputy Premier Andrew Fraser, allows same-sex couples to register their relationship with the Queensland Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages.
Queensland now joins Victoria, Tasmania and the ACT in enacting legislation that recognises same-sex partnerships.
Fraser said: “Queensland's parliament has voted to lift the shackles of discrimination … It will go down as one of Queensland Labor's most significant achievements.”
Parents and Friends of Gays and Lesbians national spokesperson Shelley Argent was inside parliament for the vote. She told the Courier Mail: “There was absolute joy, it was fantastic. There were a couple of hundred people watching the vote and we made so much noise when the laws passed that we got in trouble.”
Earlier, Bligh and Fraser addressed a rally of supporters of the bill outside Parliament House. Most of those present are determined to press on further to push for equal marriage rights legislation in the federal parliament next year.
Gay and lesbian rights activist Paul Martin told ABC Radio's AM on December 1 that the Queensland decision was long overdue: "We're very pleased that civil partnerships are now law here in Queensland.
“We were very happy with the vote last night, and that finally Queenslanders have taken a step towards full equality for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community here.”