MEDIA RELEASE
Maxim Institute
07 December 2004

Civil Union Bill rush an outrage

"The rush to pass the Civil Union Bill less than one week after the second vote is an outrage," says Maxim Institute Managing Director Greg Fleming.

"Taking important non-urgent matters into urgency is an abuse of the parliamentary process as the committee stage needs adequate time to ensure robust debate and government accountability," says Greg Fleming.

"There is no justification for passing significant social issues like this under urgency. MPs need time to consider proposed changes which is why the committee stage exists," says Greg Fleming.

"The government's claim that 'civil unions' have been in the pipeline for many years does not make the passing of this legislation any less rushed.

"If passed this week, it would have been debated for less than six months, making it the fastest 'same-sex marriage' law in the world," says Greg Fleming.

"The rush can only be put down to the government's wish to avoid contentious issues becoming election issues,' says Greg Fleming.

ENDS

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