Gay and lesbian civil rights activists in Australia has had its hopes dashed as Prime Minister John Howard achieved his third election victory in one of the most stunning recoveries in the nation's political history in the election held last week.
The GLBTI community had hoped for gay law reform ? including the possibility of registered civil unions for couples. According to a pre-election report by the gay Sydney Star Observer, hopes are high that the new Labor government will move on lesbian and gay issues after the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) branch of the party adopted a progressive statement on gay and lesbian rights as part of their party platform although gay law reform was not a theme of the election campaign.
The party platform on gay and lesbian rights states that a Labor government will ?establish a special inquiry to investigate and make recommendations to achieve equal legal status for gays and lesbians in the ACT.? It also says Labor will ?introduce programs to fight discrimination against, and vilification of gays and lesbians; and legislate for two people regardless of gender to enter into a legally recognised union?.
While the Labor party and Liberal National coalition, have previously blocked many sexuality and gender based bills and amendments, there is still work to be done and this election had seen the Greens and the Democrats strongly campaigning for GLBTI policies.
In a press release issued by the Victorian Gay & Lesbian Rights Lobby before the election, Co-Convenor Miranda Stewart said that like gay and lesbian rights organisations around Australia, they ?have been extremely disappointed with the record of the Howard government."
"The records and policies of the parties speak for themselves.? She added.
Howard who has been has been active with the Liberal Party since the age of 18 has persistently refused to introduce or support legislation that prohibit anti-gay bias in Federal Law saying that it is not necessary. He has also refused to grant legal recognition to same-sex domestic partnerships and halved the number of immigration places available to reunite same sex couples under the interdependency visa program from 600 to 300.
The press release also described the 63-year-old as showing extremely poor leadership to Australia's youth and parents on the issue of tolerance and respect by repeating his statement that he would be "disappointed" if one of his children turned out to be gay.
The Howard administration is currently seeking a regressive change to the Sex Discrimination Act, which would unfairly impact single women and lesbians in preventing them access to In Vitro Fertilisation.
Howard?s new government will have a majority of at least 10 in the 150-seat parliament.