The Attorney-General, Robert McClelland, is expected to introduce an omnibus bill to parliament this week to address the remaining 99 federal laws that discriminate against same-sex couples in areas such as taxation and social security.

The 200-page omnibus legislation excludes the superannuation, family law and evidence laws that have been examined in separate Senate inquiries.

Adam Sims, media advisor for the Attorney-General, told MCV that “the government is expected to introduce the legislation in this session of parliament”.

Gay activist and Comsuper Action Committee convenor John Challis told MCV he expects that the Opposition will delay the introduction of the bill by sending it to a Senate committee, as they did with the Same-Sex Relationships (Equal Treatment in Commonwealth Laws – Superannuation) Bill 2008.

“I presume that they will want to make sure that the terminology in both of the bills is the same, so it’s just dragging on longer,” he said.

Challis noted that the Opposition in the Senate has been “deliberately obstructionist” in making sure that the super bill only goes ahead once the omnibus bill has been introduced.

Stephen Jones, co-convener of the Victorian Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby (VGLRL) said the lobby is concerned about any delays which may occur due to an inquiry.

“The current inquiries into superannuation and family law mean that many members of our community who continue to be disadvantaged under these laws will view the inquiries as no more than trifling semantics and thinly veiled homophobia,” he said.

The report on the superannuation bill is set to emerge by September 30.

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