lune 18.2004 * just
C ontinued from P age 2 1
Somali Cerise, spokeswoman for the queer lobby
group Equal Rights Network. “Howard is using
AUSTRALIA
equality as a political football to create a crisis
he government of Australian Prime Minister
where one does not exist.”
John Howard plans to insert the words “man”
T he group welcomed the proposed changes
and “woman” into the Marriage Act to keep from
to superannuation (pension) legislation, calling
having to recognize the unions of same-sex couples
them “long overdue.”
“It is a case of give with one hand and take
who get hitched abroad. Three Australian same-
away with the other,” Equal Rights Network’s
sex couples who married in Canada have tiled with
the Family Court for recognition of their unions.
Matthew Loader said. “Tire fact that they have
“1 realize in public life what you do some- i suddenly decided to act upon superannuation
times offends some people,”
now, just before a federal election,
seems opportunistic. There has
Howard said. “It’s not designed
been...legislation in Parliament
to do that. But 1 equally don’t
supported by Labor, Democrats
apologize for putting to the law
and the Greens since 1998 on this
the simple proposition that a
issue, and the Howard govern
marriage is a union between a
ment has refused to act.”
man and a woman, hopefully
for life. T hat doesn’t in any way
Leading activist Rodney
prevent people having same-sex
Croome of the Tasmanian Gay
relationships. It doesn’t express
and Lesbian Rights Group said
a view on whether they should
the government may have bun
have same-sex relationships.”
dled superannuation reform with
the anti-gay measures to increase
T h e legislation, to be intro
the likelihood the latter will
duced in Parliament by A ttor
pass. “T h e fact that the govern
ney General Philip Ruddock,
ment has had many opportuni
also will prohibit gays from
ties
to support this reform since
adopting children from over
seas. A t the same time, it will Aussie activist Somali Cerise 1996 and has knocked it back
expand gay rights by allowing a accused Prime M inister John every time strongly suggests that
same-sex partner to inherit his Howard of “using equality as its current superannuation re
form proposal is about sweeten
or her partner’s retirement pen a political football”
sion without paying the 30 per
ing a legislative agenda which is
cent tax that applies to any beneficiary other
otherwise bitterly sour with prejudice.” J H
than a spouse, de facto spouse or child.
“T h e Howard government is clearly using
Compiled by R ex WOCKNER, who has reported
homophobia to divert attention of the Aus
for the gay press since 1985. He has a bachelor's
tralian public from more serious issues that
degree in journalism from Drake University and
started his career as a radio reporter.
should be concerning the government,” said
T
F rench
M a yo r P erform s
‘I l l e g a l ’ G a y M a r r ia g e
oël Mamère, a member of France’s Parlia
ment and mayor o f the Bordeaux suburb of
Bègles, conducted the marriage o f a gay couple
June 5 despite the national government’s threats
to prosecute him.
Shop worker Bertrand Charpentier, 31, and
nurse Stéphane C hapin, 34, arrived at Bègles
City Hall in a Rolls-Royce to the cheers o f gay
activists. About 200 riot police kept the gays
and a small number of right-wing protesters
from clashing.
Reports described the scene as a “media frenzy.”
“Your marriage is a first, and I hope it will
become something normal,” Mamère told the
couple.
“1 think the fight I am leading is a political
fight...for the defense o f an open society, to
N
combat all forms of discrimination including
homophobia," he told reporters earlier.
Shortly after the wedding, Interior Minister
Dominique de Villepin launched a “sanctions pro
cedure” against Mamère. He could he suspended,
fired or fined $1,840.
Justice M inister Dominique Perhen im
mediately declared that the couple’s marriage
would be voided. If that happens, Charpentier
and Chapin have promised an appeal to the
European Court o f Human Rights.
“If we have a message to give, it is: Be like us,
be tolerant, love each other and pursue your
vlreams to the end,” Charpentier told reporters
after the wedding, according to Reuters. “W e
are going to go and buy a house and get on with
our lives."
Prime M inister Jean-Pierre Raffarin also
deruwneed the wedding.
“T h e C ivil C ode does not allow or autho
rize the marriage o f two people of the same
sex,” he said. “Any elected
official who does not respect
the law in this respect, who
does n o t respect th e C iv il
C ode, lays him self or herself
open to the punishments pro
vided for by th e law.”
fren ch gays have had access
to Civil Solidarity Pacts since
1999, but they do not carry all
the rights of matrimony. Full
marriage is available to same-
sex couples only in the Nether
lands; Belgium; the Canadian
provinces o f British Columbia,
O ntario and Quebec; and tjy;
U S. state of Massachusetts.
-RW jrn
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