Gay couple protests census discrimination

SYDNEY — On August 22, a gay couple was removed by police from the Sydney offices of the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) after insisting that their legal same-sex marriage entered into overseas be counted in this year's census.

ABS census chief Paul Williams said he would phone the couple to discuss their concerns. The ABS had previously maintained that it was prevented by law from counting the number of Australian residents who have entered legal same-sex marriages overseas. But it also conceded that neither the Marriage Act 1961, the Census and Statistics Act 1905, nor any other law proscribed the counting of this group.

"The ABS is under no legal obligation to discriminate against same-sex couples. Its admission confirms that it discriminates by choice", said Sharon Dane, Australian Marriage Equality spokesperson.

The couple are continuing to refuse to participate in the census until the ABS agrees to count their marriage.

Kerry Smith

From GLW issue 681