2016-02-09
Ms PENNICUIK (Southern Metropolitan) — I thank the minister for what she said in support of the proposal that has been put forward by the government — that is, that the Council not insist on the amendment that was passed with great support in the last session, which was an amendment to section 10 of the Relationships Act 2008 to provide that the registrar of births, deaths and marriages may conduct a ceremony in connection with the registration of a registrable domestic relationship under that section.
The government has proposed, and the Assembly has agreed to, a different amendment that would make an insertion into section 27 of the principal act. Section 27 already refers to 'Additional services in relation to information in register and other information', and that heading to section 27, with the amendment that has passed the Assembly, would be changed to 'Provision of additional services or information in relation to registrable relationships'. After section 27(1)(a), which currently reads 'the provision of information in the form of a decorative certificate or other document', the following amendment would be inserted:
(ab) additional services in connection with any ceremony to celebrate the registration of a registrable domestic relationship …
The Greens, and I in particular and Mr Hibbins in the Assembly, have spoken with the Attorney-General with regard to this changed form of the same amendment, and we do believe that it has the same practical effect. In fact it could be seen to probably be in a better part of the act in that it goes along with the provision of a certificate. The conducting of a ceremony probably does go together better with the provision of a certificate than with some of the other provisions that are listed in section 10, so we are happy to support this.
I would like to just add a few other comments which reiterate my appreciation of the great support from the house during the last sitting week for this amendment, given that it is eight years since the act first came into being and the addition of a ceremony was first proposed. I think it will bring great joy to a lot of people to be able to avail themselves of this service when they go to register their relationship — to collect a decorative certificate and to have a ceremony conducted by the registrar. I think it would be great if the government could facilitate the registrar and the office of the registrar advertising the availability of these services so that when someone makes an application to register their relationship they are, as a matter of course, told that these additional services are available. People will then avail themselves of these services and will have in Victoria a much more joyous occasion than what at the moment is a very bureaucratic and not very joyful occasion. Well, it is still a joyful occasion, but there is nothing in the act to facilitate it being even more joyful. With those words, the Greens will be happy to support the government's amendments.